Mass Effect: Angels and Demons
by Dr.Compass
Summary: The victory over Nazara is short lived as Shepard dies to save her crew and Fredrick is thrown back into the fray against a galaxy too oblivious to react. Once again, another less consistent individual offers to fund the wage against the machines. Now it's 2185, friends and enemies reunite, and something at the back of Fredrick's skull threatens to claw its way out.
1. Chapter 1: One Step Forward, Twenty Back

(A/N): Mass Effect 2, a game which in my personal opinion is two steps forward, two steps back in terms of its progression over its predecessor Mass Effect. As much as I like the superior character development save for several exceptions (*cough* Jacob *cough* Samara *cough cough*), I really wish that ME2 and ME3 still had that same level of bigness that ME1 had, or at least gave the more authentic feeling that the environments are actually lived in. In short, it's an example of quantity over quality, and while Mass Effect is certainly much bigger than Mass Effect 2, some of the environments are just not as diverse. I get the use of prefabricated structures would be very handy for rapid expansion, but try explaining why the hell the Geth in the Armstrong Nebula are using underground bunkers otherwise commonly found in Alliance Space as a forward HQ. But enough of the ranting, now onto more senseless drama.

Chapter 1: One Step Forward, Twenty Back

 _It was an emotional storm, but I survived. For the briefest moment, I had felt better than I had in decades. But all good things must end, and none of us could've foreseen that the Harvesters' retaliation would be so soon._

* * *

 **July 18, 2183**

 **11 hrs/07 min/08 sec**

 **Citadel Station**

Fredrick temporarily stopped his work to turn to an approaching lieutenant. "Sir, Major Sokolov has arrived in the docks to relieve you."

"Good. I'll make my way to the docks to return to Khonsu. As you were trooper." The Citadel was an absolute mess after Nazara's attack. Pieces of his remains everywhere, destroyed Geth and corrupted corpses to deal with, and everyone had barely gotten started. At most, he was furious that the council denied him of permission to pursue Keepers to retrieve chunks of Nazara for study and finding means of countering the Harvesters in combat. "It is against the rules to disturb the Keepers," they'd said as he tried to argue that those remains were their best chance of facing what was ahead. Continuously, they denied any serious actions till Commander Shepard "further evaluated" the threat even after he presented them with all the data he'd collected up until then on the Harvesters.

As he walked by the docks, he saw a long line of Alliance soldiers walking along. A few of them were injured, many of them had long faces, all of them weren't even in combat armor. He raised an eyebrow glancing at the few faces that looked at him, finding them to be familiar. Finally, towards the back, he saw Ashley, Kaidan, Chakwas, Tali, and Joker in a wheel chair. Suddenly taken aback, he strode forward to the four, took off his helmet, and asked, "Williams, Alenko, Zorra, Chakwas, Moreau, what the hell happened?"

"We were attacked by an unknown enemy deep in Terminus Space. Ship was nothing like we've ever encountered, and nothing remotely close to the Geth. They tore through our shields and plating like the _Normandy_ was made of plywood. We lost twenty one crew, Shepard included. She stayed behind to make sure we all made it out," Kaidan answered.

He couldn't believe what he heard. "I wha- what the hell happened?"

Joker had tears streaming from his eyes. "It was my damn fault. I thought I could save the _Normandy_ and Linda came up to shove my ass into an escape pod. She just got me inside when an explosion threw her aside, and she closed the pod doors behind me."

Fredrick shut his threw a palm onto his forehead with exasperation. "Oh for Christ's sake..."

* * *

 **July 23, 2183**

 **14 hrs/25 min/02 sec**

 **Citadel Station, Presidium**

Linda deserved better than this. He delayed his departure so he could attended the funeral, but still wore his full suit of armor. There was so much wrong with the scene, he was on the verge of bursting. Aside from her team and Councilor Anderson, the speeches of the other councilors and the few others who spoke felt like spitting on her name than paying respects. To add insult to injury, they made no effort to find her body, the Alliance and council alike classified and locked away all research into the Harvesters, and the one team who could put things together and get back to work was dissolved faster than sugar in a pot of boiling water. Right after Jeff gave his speech at the podium, Fredrick took control of Joker's wheel chair and pushed him off to the side.

Between sniffles and gasps for air, Jeff asked, "Freddy? What's going on?"

"Don't call me that," Fredrick answered. "I just want to have a light talk, then you can rejoin your friends." Fredrick pushed the wheelchair to a small store still undergoing repairs and into a small warehouse in back. The goods were largely untouched, and the crates were all still intact. "Remind me. What happened on the _Normandy_ the day it was attacked?"

Jeff was barely able to speak through his constant sniveling. "I- I already told you-"

Jeff was cut short by Fredrick kicking a crate across the room, shattering it. "What. Happened? Answer the fucking question."

Trying to maintain keep himself calm, Moreau continued, "I thought I could get the _Normandy_ to safety, seeing how most of her systems were still int-"

Beginning to use his biotics, Fredrick threw around shelves, boxes, and more container of product, smashing the respective objects to pieces and spilling their contents on the floor. "Hopefully, you know of the error in your actions?"

Jeff started shaking his head. "I didn't-" Jeff instinctively threw his hands up to protect himself as Fredrick threw another bout of rage. The room after what seemed like an eternity of destruction looked like the rest of the Presidium as panels and wires from the ceiling, walls, and floor were thrown into the mix.

"There in lies the fucking problem, flight lieutenant!" Fredrick yelled as he continued carrying his rage out against the room, leaving Jeff untouched. "The one person, the one fucking person who was actually capable of pulling everyone's heads out of their collective assholes to see the incoming threat has died because you and your eternal wisdom thought it was more important to save a goddamn _ship_ than it was to ensure only twenty died and not twenty one! Do you see the problem here?!"

"I'm sorry! Okay? I'm sorry!" Moreau screamed as tears once again flowed from his face.

Pausing, Fredrick let all objects within his mental grasp fall to the floor and returned to Jeff to wheel him out of the room. Leaving the pilot in the middle of the wrecked shop, Fredrick finally returned, "Saying sorry doesn't fix your mistakes, Jeff. I'll see you around." Fredrick continued to walk away as he left the cripple to wallow in his sorrows for a bit longer.

Destroying more property did help to put off his seething anger for a brief moment, but the facts still hurt. He hadn't exactly worked on maintaining his PR over the course of combating Nazara. Linda was the one fresh face, the galactic icon who could've helped lead the galaxy in the fight against them. Ironically, he thought the same thing of Saren until he received news of the Turian specter's infection. Now, it was back to square one, and six precious months of potential research and further discover was wasted. Ignoring the brief flashbacks of seeing a younger Linda, he still wanted to have one last drink before he left the station, so he decided to make his way to Flux and get something at the bar. As he entered, the first unfortunate soul his eyes landed on was Garrus Vakarian. The Turian had barely taken off his formal wear after leaving the funeral ceremony before drowning his sorrows away. He remembered when he was in the same position over a century ago, and he remembered when the two of them one last goodbye kiss at the Citadel docks before the council sent her to her death one month later.

Fredrick simply walked up to the mourning Turian and put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry this happened."

"I should've been there instead of training for the Specters," Garrus answered simply, barely looking back at him. "None of this would've happened."

Fredrick took his hand off, saying, "I should've as well," before turning to return to the _Persistence_.

* * *

 **15 hrs/00 min/54 sec**

 **TMSD _Persistence_ , Argos Rho, en route to the Nile Nebula**

Fredrick walked onto the bridge without having taken his armor off at the locker room first. Walking up behind Commander Burke, the commander greeted him with, "At least we got that bastard Nazara. Shame it's a short-lived victory."

"What's the death-count?" Fredrick asked. They were still counting their loses after the battle on the Citadel with the Geth forces.

"Ours are almost a flat four thousand total along with five cruisers and two dreadnoughts. We've gotten the data back to Khonsu and are starting to upgrade our hardware to better cope with Harvester combat. Additionally, a new series of dreadnoughts are being manufactured at many locations throughout the Republic, ships that are capable of self-sustaining its crew for several years with the use of advanced air filters, aquaponics, and the best eezo cores we have to date," Burke answered.

Fredrick stared out of the bridge and into the abyss, watching as the _Persistence_ lie in wait at the Mass Relay instead of entering. "So, what are we waiting for? Why are we still here and not on our way through?" Fredrick asked impatiently.

"Traffic control flagged us, and had informed me fifteen minutes ago that a trade ship was coming through and that we were to stand aside till we were clear," Burke answered again.

"Fifteen minutes? What's taking them so long? Ships don't take that long to get from one end of a Relay to an-" Fredrick started before an enormous, rocky object sharply came out of FTL, and turned to make evasive maneuvers. "What the hell?"

"Everyone! Brace for maneuvers!" Burke barked. Mere seconds after he gave the order, a yellow, ominous core within the rocky pillar released a burst of energy, striking the side of the destroyer.

As the ship shook violently, one of the bridge officers reported, "Sir! Our shields and armor are holding for now, but our coms have been jammed and one of the engines are damaged!"

"Commander! Hostiles are making maneuvers to board!" Fredrick said, pointing out the ominous ship eclipsing their as it hovered overhead. The ship felt another violent shake as the enemy vessel docked with their own.

"The _Persistence_ is lost! Everyone, get to an escape craft! Müller, come with me and help defend till as many are off the ship as we can!" Burke said, pulling a rifle from an emergency locker and shoving in a bioelectric cell.

"Sir, these are the same hostiles that took down the _Normandy_! We just have to make a break for it!" Fredrick barked as he ran towards the exit, drawing his own rifle.

"Are you sure?" the commander asked.

"I got my hands on the reports, the data points are all the same," Fredrick answered simply as he pulled up a chart on his omnitool.

Burke's jaw hung with disbelief. "Well I'll be... Well, that doesn't change things. We're still getting off this ship. Stick close to me, major. If it's the last thing I do, you're getting off this ship." As the two and fifteen others entered a supply locker located right outside of the hanger, a group of the hostile invaders came into view. It was no other than the notorious Collectors, a bipedal insectoid race who have been regarded as little more than myth. A few more marines were caught in the line of fire as the men dashed for cover. "Dammit, these filthy cockroaches!" Burke cursed as he popped from cover and gunned down a few of the monstrosities. "Turn on that nanite shield of yours, Müller! Get to whatever ship you can find and get the hell out of here! Never mind the rest of us!"

"With all due respect, sir! I'm not leaving this crew for dead!" Fredrick retorted as he shoved another battery into his rifle.

"They're after you! Now get going!" Burke yelled before a flanking Collector put a beam through the unfortunate commander's head, dropping him instantly. Swiftly gunning down the Collector, Fredrick proceeded to activate the nanite shield and biotically charge through a squad of Collectors and ran into the hanger. The hanger was even more chaotic than the room before as engineers and other marines were dashing around with biotics to get an angle on the boarding Collectors. Swiftly jumping into a dropship, he ran to the cockpit, jumped into the pilot seat, hit the autopilot, and watched as the ship exited the hanger and flew into the vacuum. Doing a full 180, he directed the dropship towards the Relay, watching as the Collector ship detached from what remained of the _Persistence_ to follow him. The ship VI shook the ship back and forth, narrowly dodging the heavy particle beam of the Collector ship as he advanced closer towards the Mass Relay. As he rapidly approached, the _Sokol_ along with two other dreadnoughts came out of FTL and began to open fire on the Collector ship. Incurring heavy damage, the majority of the Collector forces simply made for the Relay and retreated.

 _"Fredrick, is that you in there?"_ Max asked over the intercom.

"Hong, you're a godsend! How did you know about the attack?" Fredrick asked.

 _"We headed out as soon as we lost contact with the_ Persistence _?"_ Hong continued.

"I don't know, but we lost Commander Burke," Fredrick answered quietly.

 _"Damn it. Meet me in the_ Sokol _'s hanger. Along with debriefing, we've got a few hardware upgrades for you."_

* * *

 **TMD** _ **Sokol**_ **, en route back to Khonsu**

 _"This is not good. It's also a shame to hear of the commander and the_ Persistence _'s demise._ _Are you sure it was the Collectors?"_ Admiral Hashimoto asked.

"The writing is on the wall, Admiral. I'm not exactly sure how else to put it." Fredrick sat on a medical bed as his implants were evaluated.

 _"You know your word alone is not going to convince anyone."_ The admiral wasn't as old as Fredrick, but the two men had been around for long enough to recognize the council's arrogance.

"No need to remind me. Anything from high command?" Fredrick asked.

 _"I've already brought this attack up, and the decision was rather swift. You are being promoted to colonel and will be stationed at a factory on Taitus in the Caleston Rift. The station doubles as an R &D lab and is beginning operations to upgrade our navy to required specifications if we'll be in all-out conflict with the Harvesters," _Hashimoto informed.

"That's awfully close to the Terminus Systems. Are you sure that is a wise logistical decision?" Fredrick asked, raising an eyebrow.

 _"I don't like it either, but the courts want to know what makes the Collectors tick. If they are another asset of the Harvesters, they'll no doubt constantly throwing themselves at us just to get at you. We might even be able to take them out, and get samples to present before we slip back to convincing the public,"_ Hashimoto answered, with a solemn nod. _"I know you'd rather be in the fray of action, but we all agree, M_ _ü_ _ller. You've wasted enough time trying to convince a blind and deaf public. It's now down to us to save them, regardless of how many go extinct by the end of this massacre._ _"_

"Understood, sir." As the projection of the Admiral went dark, Nolan walked around the table with his omnitool out.

"Well, all your systems seem to be in order. In a few moments, you may be feeling some aching and tingling on the senses, but we're giving you a system update," Nolan explained.

"An update? What for?" Fredrick asked, glancing at his former teammate.

"Some additional parts now on the market. Along with more accurate and efficient power use, tissue regeneration, improved biotics, and making sure all the systems and drivers are still functional, you also been given a few new toys to boot," Nolan said, handing Fredrick a datapad.

Feeling the light spikes of pain, Fredrick asked, "Alright, what sort of new hardware am I looking at?"

"While it is still mostly used for espionage, you've been given a vocal cord modulator, used for direct translations into other languages, and will likewise what language you are speaking in your HUD. Additionally, we've had a few new additions to the neural director, allowing you to more efficiently control nanites that you've split from your own body, allowing for faster work. Nanites themselves have more touch to them this time, and are not only capable of rendering a target unconscious for once again espionage or medical procedures, but also easily opening and closing tissue, dissolving and reconstructing certain objects, though efficiency is still gradually improving. Finally, we've boosted the range at which you are capable of accessing the neural cloud. We do have satellites strewn throughout the Galaxy, but command wants to move away from the need of using those satellites so we aren't completely in the dark when the Harvesters invariably blow those satellites to hell," Nolan answered.

Getting off the bed, Fredrick nodded with approval before asking, "Sounds good. Anything else I should know?"

"In the long run, you should be able to go through missions for longer without having to use an overclock stim. Like I said, efficiency is still gradually improving for some of the more experimental parts. If anything goes wrong or something seems to be out of place, please please _please_ let us know ASAP so we can check if this is a common problem and fix it."

* * *

 _"Perhaps they weren't such a worthy investment," Harbinger thought, glancing over the memories of the Collector warriors after attacking the hybrid's ship._

 _Before Nazara died, he'd put plenty of emphasis on how much this "Fredrick" could be a threat to the cycle. While they largely ignored the pleas for permission to more actively seek and destroy the lone organic, Nazara's sudden demise had finally caught his attention concerning now an organic and a the hybrid. While the organic had been dealt with, though her remains still hadn't been found to be made an example of, "Fredrick" had slipped through their grasp once more. He was now in a more stationary location, but he wasn't entirely sure of whether he'd would actually be a threat. Furthermore, something seemed inconsistent with the figure._

 _He turned his attention towards the memories of Nazara and began to shift through the endless files. Most recently, Nazara had been obsessed with the hybrid before his death at Relay Alpha at the hands of overwhelming organic forces. "Fredrick" had been showing up much more frequently within the last few cycles, and was now causing some concern for himself. He stopped at an image of Nazara looking down upon a platform in some organic structure._

 _From the metadata, it was a lab that was "owned" by one of Nazara's puppets, and on the platform was the white and crimson annoyance himself. Playing the memory, Harbinger was initially surprised that the Hybrid was capable of communication beyond what his physical form would normally allow. He knew Nazara had made some indirect contact with this organic as early as little over a century ago, and started to sift through many of Nazara's earlier memories. "Just who are you?" Harbinger wondered. "Where do you come from?"_


	2. Chapter 2: Lesser of Two Evils

(A/N): Should I have introduced nanites into this story from the start? I mean that as well as nanites do help to explain some leaps in actual science to fictional science, it doesn't help put my mind off the fact that nanites (nanomachines, or whatever you or some other writer may call them) is the sci-fi equivalent of the easy button. Because nanomachines, son. Then again, I suppose the same could go with biotics and mass effect rays in... well, Mass Effect, so I guess it's neither this nor that in the long run.

Chapter 2: Lesser of Two Evils

 _I should stop being surprised by these "chance" encounters, because whatever forces direct my life are addicted to bullshit. Additionally, I should be less surprised that this loser is still alive and has somehow managed to gain some influence in the world of business. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of looking a gift-horse in the mouth. I need this to happen if I'm to gain any forward momentum again._

* * *

 **Aug 24, 2184**

 **10 hrs/30 min/30 sec**

 **Taitus, Talava System, Caleston Rift**

"So give me a recap. What sort of system improvements have we implemented?" Fredrick asked.

The engineer brought up a projection of the Harvester data with his omnitool and recited, "With the data we've collected, we've developed a fail-safe to prevent the Harvesters from simultaneously hijacking our neural hub and controlling all of us indirectly or worse. The system now recognizes a few different strands of Harvester coding and will deny the user off access, both information in and out."

"Good to hear about the progress." Fredrick turned to the window of the lab to look at the docking yard of various ships under rework, repair, or construction. "Anything we've managed to get on the Collectors?"

"I'm sorry, colonel. They've stopped their direct attacks as of last November, and the mercenaries they do send haven't been given any tech or data to work with. Whatever Harvester they are working along side probably has some tactical expertise." The engineer turned to walk back to work elsewhere in the lab.

Turning his gaze away, Fredrick began to walk back to his office. As he calmly strolled over the catwalks, he watched the cranes, mechanics, and various other machines do their work. Punching the code to his office in, the door silently opened and closed behind him before turning on the lights, illuminating how he sunk into his swivel chair. The promotion from major to colonel was a leap in command he was not prepared to make, and has been an exhausting, even if he mostly watched lab rats do their work and grease monkeys tack on more hardware than the dreadnoughts would ever need outside of a Harvester confrontation. Turning to his desk monitor, he booted up an old game centered around shooting demons on a space station in the Sol system. He found it soothing, and realism could literally go to hell for all he cared. About half an hour into a mission, his monitor rang with an "incoming call" notification. Rolling his eyes and pausing the game, he switched back to his work monitor and accepted the call.

As the call initiated, Jack Harper's face appeared on the screen. _"Hello Colonel M_ _ü_ _ller, hopefully you haven't forgotten our brief encounter at the end of First Contact,_ _"_ Harper greeted after a long draw of his cigarette.

Fredrick let out a small, uncontrollable chuckle. "Who could forget something like you, Jack? What the hell are you even calling me about?"

 _"Ever since our last encounter, I've established an organization invested in the betterment of Humanity, looking to achieve something similar to what you Terrans have made. You better know this organization as Cerberus,"_ Harper continued.

Fredrick was barely able to speak through his chuckling. "You- you're not s-s-some proxy for me to recognize instead of some other sinister face?"

Jack was clearly not amused. _"No, I am the defacto leader of-"_ He didn't get a chance to finish his answer before Fredrick broke out into hysterical laughter, tipping back in his chair and falling to the floor.

For almost three quarters of a minute, Fredrick was on the floor, gradually putting his chair back up and getting back in his seat. "I'm sorry, the fact you are the leader greatly explains your philosophies and how you approach the Galaxy the way you do. I'm sorry I'm coming off the way I do, but you've came across to me as this horrendous mix of smart and stupid. Smupid, if you follow. You've been alarmingly perspective and well educated in how to interpret a problem, but applying the knowledge towards solving or approaching something has been your weakest link. Interestingly enough, this has been a trait that has carried over to your organization as well."

Taking a swig from a glass of scotch, Jack answered, _"I'll keep that in mind. In the mean time, I've found myself in a position of need for assistance on your part. See, for almost a year now, my Lazarus division has been working on reviving Linda Shepard. Before you accuse me of lying, in the weeks after you and Shepard were attacked by the Collectors, we'd managed to obtain her body before they did and have been putting her back together."_

Fredrick went all but silent during this claim. "How did you manage to come by her remains?" He asked seriously.

Disposing of the cigarette butt in an ash tray, he answered, _"A former teammate of yours, Liara T'soni had gone through great lengths to do so. She and a coworker of hers had been dodging the Shadow Broker's forces to keep her body out of the Collector's grasps."_

"So what do you need from me then?" Fredrick said, getting a drink of his own from a small fridge under his desk. "I'm pretty confident that you can manage this project on your own seeing the resources you have at your disposal."

 _"At first, we tried cloning her lost components along with some cybernetics to patch other parts together, but there's been a minor schism within the Lazarus branch. We're behind schedule as is, but I find myself reminded of your biological capabilities. Regardless of how strange this request may seem, I need some nanite glands to help accelerate what is left of the project in exchange for some information concerning the Collectors. You know how much all of us need this project to succeed and you have no doubt by now heard of the various disappearances across various Human colonies in the Terminus Systems. I can understand if you don't take this request lightly, but the Reapers are on the move and the Alliance is not doing much with the helpful insight you have so generously provided them,"_ Harper answered.

"No, I find this request perfectly understandable. I'll provide what you need, just provide me a time and location," Fredrick returned, turning his attention to another window to make an order to the lab.

 _"Three days time, in the Zakera Wards loading docks. I hope you don't mind if I also deploy a small detachment of troops to make sure the doctors make it back with the package,"_ Jack said between swigs.

"Of course. We have a deal. Just make sure that she doesn't have anything that will allowed her to be controlled, I can't afford her to be compromised post resurrection. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got another call to make."

* * *

 **17 hrs/48 min/06 sec Local Time**

 **Illium, Tasale System, Crescent Nebula**

Over the course of the last year, Liara had been an incredibly busy woman. With one half of her time, she'd been an information broker. During the other half, she'd been running a PMC funded by the profits of her work and the resources left to her by her mother's will. It was a nice change of pace after running around, keeping a cautious eye on her back to watch for the Shadow Broker's henchmen. If none other than the Terrans and Cerberus would prepare for the Reaper threat, then she would with the few resources that she had in comparison to some of the "bigger" fish in the Galactic playing field as many of the Humans on the _Normandy_ would call it.

Nyxeris, her secretary, buzzed over the desk intercom, turning her attention from the view of Illium back to her desk. "You have an incoming call from Colonel Müller, Ms. T'soni."

"Thank you Nyxeris." Taking a seat at her desk and opening communications, she saw the distinct angular face of the Wolf, stuck in what seemed to be a pose of annoyance. "Fredrick. It has been a while," she answered with a tired tone.

 _"I can understand if you are exhausted from a day's work, but I've only got one question and I'm only going to ask it once. I've recently been contacted by some nobody I met a long time ago, who has... acquired quite a bit of power since I last saw him, named Jack Harper, call-sign the Illusive Man. He claimed that you helped to collect Shepard's remains. Is this true?"_ Fredrick asked straight away.

Sighing, Liara returned, "Are you trying to threaten me? Illium has plenty of prying eyes and ears just listening for something to abuse."

 _"I don't have time for chapter and verse about safety precautions, Liara. Jack just offered me a deal to supply him with some Terran tech to help accelerate the resurrection procedure due to a workplace incident. If I will be walking into this deal, I need confirmation that this is real and not a scheme to leak some of our greatest technological secrets, so don't go bullshitting around the question, Liara."_ Fredrick was on the verge of breaking something.

"I did. And I lost a good friend while doing so, so make the effort count," Liara answered snappily in return, slamming a fist on her desk.

 _"_ Thank _you. Was that so hard? Like I said, life is tough as is, but I need everyone to cooperate if w-"_ Fredrick was interrupted by a cracking of glass within his office, followed by Fredrick looking at his window. _"Oh, for Christ's sake. That's the fiftieth time that this has happened this year. Keep in contact, Liara. Allies are few and far apart these days."_ Before the call ended, she heard Fredrick barking orders. _"I want the bastard brought in so I can tear him limb from limb!"_

 _"Not surprising,"_ Liara thought, turning her attention back to the world outside.

* * *

 **Aug 27, 2184**

 **08 hrs/18 min/00 sec**

 **Citadel Station, Zakera Ward docks**

He strolled alone along the otherwise empty platforms of the docks as dawn still rose over the Citadel. He'd temporarily excused himself from his post at Taitus to exchange the cooler of three nanite glands for an OSD on the Collectors. He was aware of the risk of going alone, but he was confident that the Cerberus troops were nothing he couldn't handle. In the distance, he noticed a small team of white, black, and sand yellow soldiers approaching him, led by a Caucasian woman with black hair, blue eyes, pronounced assets, and a white catsuit with black arms and boots, as well as an Asian man with shoulder-height hair, and some rather interesting implants of his own.

"Fredrick Müller, in the flesh. An honor to meet you," the woman started. "I'm Dr. Miranda Lawson, head of the Lazarus Project and the Illusive Man's right hand. This is Kai Leng, a former N7 Operative and field tactician. Interesting that you'd prefer to show up on your own."

Fredrick raised an eyebrow and glared at the team of Cerberus troops before him through his bronze tinted visor. He took note of the soldiers' light armor compared to his significantly heavier, Miranda's lack of combat protection, and Kai Leng's rather lacking cybernetics. "If you were to start a fight with me, I'm confident there would be nothing I couldn't handle. I assume the Lazarus Project has consumed a great amount of funding?"

"We're over-budget, but the Illusive Man is willing to contribute many of his resources to the cause," Miranda answered simply.

"That's not my point," Fredrick began. "For starters, the soldiers you have before me not only wear a distinct color patter only associated with your organization, but also is barely a grade above what the Alliance supplies their own troops with. Despite whatever weapons you have on you, Dr. Lawson, you look like you just got off your shift at Chora's Den. Kai Leng, based upon what I can tell so far, has implants that would easily be torn apart by a Krogan warrior. Just by being here, all of you are seriously threatening my belief that you can do anything competently."

"Don't misjudge me," Kai threatened, pulling out a monomolecular blade from his belt, angling it with Fredrick's helmet.

Fredrick simply burst into laughter. "The best you can threaten me with is a sword, kid?!" Fredrick's hand dashed up and snatched the end, leveling it with his own torso. "God, you're like a baby, thinking you're bigger than you really are because, 'Hey! I've got cybernetic limbs!' Listen, Leng, before you even remotely hit the tick mark of 'Posthuman' much less 'Transhuman,' it's not so much adding stuff on as it is growing into it." As Fredrick lectured, a puddle of nanites formed over the site where the blade hung over before plunging it in. Shoving the blade further back, another puddle formed on his back, where the blade protruded out of his torso until the blade fully punctured his chest cavity. The others excluding Miranda were taken aback by the act until Fredrick lifted his hand with another puddle of nanites, taking the deconstructed component of the blade and rebuilding it. "By the way, sorry about the knife. It was a really nice piece of kitchenware while it lasted."

Kai Leng was gradually filled with rage as he watched the three pieces of his sword drop to the ground. "You really are content with playing magic tricks, Mr. Müller," Leng growled.

"That's merely pulling the rabbit out of the hat compared to what else I've done for the last hundred years. Now, I still believe there's an OSD you have to trade?"

Rolling her eyes and uncrossing her arms, she beckoned to a Cerberus soldier who came forth and handed off the OSD before receiving the medical cooler and peaking inside. Turning around, the soldier confirmed, "The package is secure, Dr. Lawson."

"Stay in contact, colonel. We're constructing a team for Shepard to take down the Collectors with, and you're on the list," Miranda said as she handed Fredrick a datapad.

Briefly glancing at it before turning his attention back to the group. "I'll be looking forward to it. However, do not fail the reconstruction process. I will be coming forth with any complaints that I have." Turning his attention to Kai Leng, who was retrieving what was left of his monomicroblade, he tossed him against the docking bay wall before mocking, "Get back to me when you are capable of something more interesting than wielding an ancient weapon." He initiated his cloak, turned, and walked off with the OSD and datapad in hand.

* * *

 **Aug 28, 2184**

 **13 hrs/31 min/05 sec**

 **Taitus, Fredrick's office**

Cautiously plugging the OSD into his computer, Fredrick quickly proved that Harper wasn't lying when she said that Cerberus had information on the Collectors. Without a second thought, Fredrick sent the information back to HQ before calling Admiral Hashimoto. "Admiral, are you getting this?"

 _"Unbelievable! How did you manage to get this information?"_ the admiral asked.

"I made a rather lucrative trade Cerberus, who is making efforts to revive Commander Shepard. I'm not sure how they did it as they didn't give me the specifics, but I wanted your input on this change in events," Fredrick answered.

 _"If this is the case, you probably know better than I do considering you were the man aboard the_ Normandy _last year,"_ Hashimoto returned.

"The officers I met up with said they'd be putting me on Shepard's team again. I know the last thing we need is something detrimental on the record, but I feel that getting recognition towards the issue at hand is the first step towards ensuring people besides us survive," Fredrick commented.

 _"Any idea when Shepard will be ready to return?"_ the Admiral asked one last time.

"That's still a ways out sir. Still, I'll need a replacement while I'm away."

* * *

 _"Are you sure Nazara wasn't simply crumbling under something unforeseen? There is no reason that we should pursue-"_

 _"I'm certain. I've taken account of all of Nazara's files, and I've come to a conclusion. Ensuring Shepard's death or humiliation is a secondary goal now, but this Fredrick is more than simply a coincidence, and has simply existed to combat Nazara in his effort to restart the Relay. Of course, this has resulted in his distraction from his objective and resulted in the significant delay. Now that Fredrick has caused yet another delay, it should be seen through that he be dealt with as soon as possible."_

 _"Yes. In addition to this, the project has made significant progress, but we'll need significantly more resources than the systems we are sweeping through may be capable of producing."_

 _"It won't matter. We'll be wasting significantly more traveling than we would waiting for another vanguard to be constructed. The signal won't work on the Keepers until we get in and properly repair the damage done by the cycle before. For now, keep stalling Shepard's resurrection, if not destroy it. We need more time."_

 _"It will be done."_

* * *

(P.S.): It's been a while since I've done a short one, and not much happens between ME1 and ME2, at least for Fredrick anyways. I might as well get what he's essentially been up to out of the way.


	3. Chapter 3: Recruitment

(A/N): I seriously wished there was more I could think up of between ME1 and ME2 for Fredrick, but I can't help but keep this segment empty for the sole purpose of maintaining his attitude for the rest of ME2. I'll try and show more of his behavior as I go along.

Chapter 3: Recruitment

 _Two years. Two fucking years of sitting around doing nothing but watching engineers work and the inevitable to occur. Fortunately, Dr. Lawson has been keeping me up to speed on Shepard's recover, and it sounds like they are close to making a full recovery soon. I just hope she doesn't make too much of a deal over dying, but I can understand if she looses her shit over the council sitting around and jerking off while she was comatose._

* * *

 **Aug 05, 2185**

 **12 hrs/59 min/32 sec**

 **Taitus, Fredrick's office**

"You're sure you've tried everything?" Fredrick asked, leaning back in his chair.

 _"Yeah, they're not budging. Only the project founder, Jamie Clayton really believes what's behind the smoke and curtains,"_ Max answered for the other side of the call. _"She's looked over the data multiple times, and she's been arguing with the board for a while now that the time is now if the Andromeda Initiative is to have lift-off."_

Not bothering to look, Fredrick's arm suddenly hurled a ball of a nanite mesh towards the window, quickly coating the wall in a thin layer as an explosion from outside destroyed the window and parts of the office wall. "Sorry, yet another assassination attempt. You were saying?"

 _"During this next outing, if you could at all find any data that would help Clayton's case, that would be great. Also, while I'm gone for the next millennia or two, could you try harder not to have so many enemies who want your head on a platter? You do realize command has you out there to see what makes people tick, and it's getting out of hand,"_ Hong added with a sarcastic quip.

"Yeah yeah. I'll keep an eye out." As Fredrick ended the call and he stood up to retrieve the thin wall of nanites, he turned his attention back to his desk as another call came through. Turning back to answer, he picked up the connection as a few thermal rounds whistled around him. "What's the situation?"

 _"Colonel, a non-Blood Pack ship is approaching, you had previously identified it as the SR-2, and they are hailing us,"_ the traffic tower informed.

"Respond, and tell them I'll meet them at the command center. Also inform them about the current pest problem," Fredrick responded as he put on his helmet.

 _"Yes sir,"_ the lieutenant answered as the line went dead.

Fredrick walked to what little remained of his office window, watching the skirmish between between Terran engineers against Krogan, Turians, and Vorcha. "It's about time it happened."

* * *

 **13 hrs/35 min/04 sec**

Mercs, mercs, and more mercs composed of the OP4 she usually encountered for most of her missions now. She was honestly surprised that anyone would've been dumb enough to remotely toe Terran Territory. Closely followed by Miranda, Mordin, and Garrus, the team advanced as they picked the mercenaries off from behind. For the most part, the Terran engineers the Blood Pack was attacking had managed to hold their ground very well against the overwhelming onslaught. It was nothing as nearly over-the-top as Fredrick's display, but it was still impressive how they quickly dashed from cover to cover, used their biotics, and how organically they monopolized on each others' attack patterns.

It had been a tough first few weeks off of the laboratory and back into the field, and even more tough still trying to accommodate the lost time. She was left drowning in tears when she first saw Garrus on Omega and several hours after he'd taken a rocket to the face. She was even more concerned when she saw how Garrus had physically transformed from the justice-seeking C-Sec officer she knew on the SR-1 to the battle-hardened Archangel of the present. She still harbored feelings for him, but she couldn't help but wonder if the two years of death had caused him to move on, or if her new scars were harming his trust. It did help her emotionally when they left the basket-case of a rock after recruiting ex-STG Mordin.

Seeing how Garrus and Tali were so much different now, she wondered if the older members, being Wrex and Fredrick, had been nearly as affected by her untimely death. As they fought through all levels of the factory, it became quickly apparent that the Blood Pack was on their last legs. Bursting through one of the office walls, throwing a Terran engineer to his death against a wall, another bulking Krogan barked, "Find the Wolf! If not alive, at least bring his head!" It was good to know Fredrick wasn't dead yet, not that Fredrick would ever fall victim to simple mercs.

Jumping down from the office from which he entered, the Krogan commander jumped down and charged the group. Much like fighting the Krogan leader on Omega, he heavily relied on brute strength and speed, allowing Mordin, Garrus, Miranda, and Linda to get off potshots as they kited the Krogan around the room. After narrowly surviving an incendiary blast, the Krogan made one more dash and rammed into Mordin, knocking the Salarian to the ground. Being lifted into the air, Solus was about to receive the killing blow when an unseen force threw the Krogan over the railing and onto the factory floor below.

Fredrick, coming out of cloak, revealed his new set of armor as he made his way to the edge of the platform before jumping down in pursuit. Taking painful gasps, the Krogan was attempting to get back onto his feet to retaliate, only to be pinned down by the white and crimson angle of death himself. Taking grasp of the upper and lower jaws, Fredrick killed the Krogan by prying the jaw open, followed by a sickening snap and a series of wet gurgling noises. Turning his attention back upward, he saw Linda and the others looking down as he launched himself upward to climb back onto the platform. "Shepard! Good to see you back among the living again!" he greeted, arms still coated in Krogan blood.

"Certainly has been a while. How've you been holding out recently?" Shepard responded, starting with a light, nervous smile. She was having a hard time telling if Fredrick's character had changed over the two years. "You don't seem all too surprised that I'm no longer a corpse."

"Dr. Lawson kept me up to date on your recover, and had approached me for help with her assignment last year. She needed additional resources in exchange for information concerning the Collector's movements. I've also been informed you were putting together a team to go up against the Reapers again," Fredrick continued. "I haven't been infor..." Fredrick noticed Garrus as he shifted his attention. "Good to see you again, Garrus. What the hell happened to the side of your face?"

"On Omega trying to make a difference. Ended up with a gunship rocket to the face," Garrus answered simply.

"We found him hopped up on stims and running low on ammunition while being pinned down by multiple merc groups," Linda added.

"Christ, Garrus. I know I'm no stranger to combat-drugs, but even overclocking can be only done so many times before it just doesn't work any more," Fredrick chastised. "How did you even end up pinned down in the first place on such a miserable rock?"

"Later," Garrus responded grimly.

"I see. And Dr. Lawson. I presume there's nothing you have to inform me about, or was the Lazarus Project completely successful?" Fredrick said, shifting his gaze to Miranda.

"For the most part, she's back and ready to return to the fight, or so I've been told," Miranda said, crossing her arms and maintaining her straight face.

"Still the professional. I'm honestly surprised you still work for Cerberus," Fredrick commented.

"So, what are you doing here instead of... well, anywhere else? I didn't peg you as the 'factory manager' type," Shepard asked further.

"Officially, I'm here to oversee that our navy is adjusted accordingly to Nazara's strengths and weaknesses. Unofficially, I'm here as bait, studying what makes the Collectors tick. Less than a week after the Collectors took you down, I was on my way back to Khonsu when they jumped my ship. In the months afterward, they directly attacked this station on multiple occasions, before simply reverting to sending in wave after wave of assassins. Most recently, it's been a bunch of guys who just really hate me, but aren't competent enough to kill me. A lot of good men died that day, and I'm looking forward to some compensation," Fredrick breathed.

Eyeing some of the orange blood still on his gauntlets, Linda decided to ask, "Any idea why these guys are after you?"

"I've been alive for one hundred and sixty years, Shepard. In that time, I've managed to enrage a lot of people and there are plenty of people out there who would pay a king's ransom just to get a piece of me as a trophy. Admit it, you'd also want a carbon-fiber arm right over your fireplace," Fredrick said, with a light chuckle.

"You should probably change that. Anyways, is there anything you'll need before we leave?" Linda asked.

"To reiterate, Dr. Lawson had kept me up-to-date on your recover, and I've managed to adjust my schedule accordingly. So what's _Normandy_ 2.0 like?" Fredrick smiled.

* * *

 **17 hrs/06 min/39 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **SR-2, briefing room**

Fredrick was standing up-straight with his hands behind his back as Jacob Taylor gave him a tour of the ship's improvements over its predecessor. He had to admit that Taylor was a good man at heart, but was left to swim in a galaxy with nowhere to put his skills and deeds to proper use. As Shepard walked in, Taylor finished with, "Other than that, everything should be in the same place it was as before, but bigger. Any other questions?"

"Yes, did Harper blow all of your funding on Shepard alone? Because I've been working around Terran dreadnoughts for long enough now that I can easily tell you that this ship is nowhere near optimal or gunning down whatever the Harvesters have to throw at us. For starters, the shields, armor, and weapons need to be upgraded, and secondly, I'm more concerned about the health of the crew," Fredrick said, pointing at the hologram of the SR-2.

"I understand, sir. What should we take into consideration?" Taylor asked, nodding like the good soldier he was.

"The lack of proper training among most of the crew, and the armory may be stuffed with guns, but what about the armor? Take what you're wearing for example. What the hell is that supposed to protect you from?" Fredrick said, gesturing to Jacob's own white, black, and yellow armor. "I know you're not responsible for resource management, but that will not protect you from decompression, or the particle weaponry that the Collectors are so keen on using."

Shrugging, Taylor answered, "It's light-class operative armor. I don't exactly see what's wrong with it..."

"I'll admit, we've been given a bad hand, but I can figure out how to make this work for all of us," Linda injected.

"I hope you're right, Shepard. I really do hope so. In the mean time, is the AI equipped to handle Harvester software?" Fredrick asked, gesturing to one of the AI's projection ports.

"I don't trust EDI either to not spy on or properly protect us, but we don't have much choice. Besides, you're supposed to be our professional on the Reapers, right? I'm sure you can help with that," Linda said, gesturing back to Fredrick.

"Fair enough. I'll be in the medbay, making sure my equipment is in place, and getting back into the swing of things. Nice to see Dr. Chakwas again, though."

As Fredrick left the briefing room, Jacob approached Linda to ask, "He's quite the tank. I know the Illusive Man wanted him on the team, but I know of what he's capable of. He's a storm waiting to happen"

Linda shrugged as she answered, "He's a loose cannon, and we probably could've gone without him during the mission to stop Saren and Nazara, but he's provided us with more insight about the enemy than we could've alone. Maybe he'll get us further than we did last time if we get this right."

"Hmm. I see. Anyways, any idea who Harper is?"

"I'll ask him."

* * *

 **Aug 06, 2185**

 **08 hrs/40 min/15 sec**

"Good heavens, you must've found all of them by now," Chakwas groaned, watching Fredrick continue to crawl around the room, digging out surveillance hardware with his particle knife.

"Relax, I'm almost done. I hate to have Jack peering in on my life like this," Fredrick responded, tossing another device in a growing pile in the middle of the medbay.

"I'm aware, but maybe things have changed since the end of First Contact. It has been twenty eight years," Chakwas continued to chastise.

"Trust me. He hasn't. Not personality-wise anyways," Fredrick confirmed as Linda strolled in.

"Hey... Colonel. Quite a leap in rank, huh?" Linda greeted, right hand with a mug of coffee.

"Overdue, and a rank I never asked for, but it's proven useful. Unlike the Systems Alliance, the Terran Republic doesn't roll naval, airborne, and marine divisions all into one category." Fredrick stood to full height and patted Linda on the shoulder.

"You have everything you need?" Shepard asked.

"Naturally, I'm my own medical equipment. I'm surprised they haven't made the ship bigger to accommodate for an even bigger crew size, or at least tack on a morgue where EDI's core is. Then again, I can't complain, seeing you're now back and ready to give the Harvesters a run for their money," Fredrick explained.

"Really, what have you been doing for the last two years?" Shepard asked, after a light chuckle.

"I already told you, sitting around with my dick in my hand. A year ago, Jack Harper contacted me concerning help with your resurrection. I gave him a few nanite glands in exchange for data concerning Collector movements, and I can basically vouch for whatever he says about the Collectors and Harvesters being connected. Other than that, absolutely nothing." Fredrick made it readily apparent he'd some built up anger from sitting around at a desk for most of the last two years.

"Just curious, who is Jack? You've made several references by now and haven't made it apparent who you're talking about." Fredrick honestly couldn't believe that Harper couldn't at least come forward concerning his real name with Shepard.

"It's the Illusive Man's real name. I and Saren briefly met at the end of the First Contact War when he was still a mercenary working for General Williams. He's as smart and stupid as he sounds and looks." Fredrick wasn't joking either.

"Before I go, do you have any suggestions over giving us an edge over the Collectors?" Linda asked.

"I can provide half of the parts myself, but I was thinking something along the lines of externally attached nanite glands for the team that can be adjusted for where it is attached. It'll keep people alive, and allow me to find them a bit better should they be incapacitated. I just need some parts for external harnesses. Here, I'll provide you with the basic design," Fredrick described as he pulled out his omnitool, transferring the files to Linda's own tool.

"Thanks. I should let you get back to work." As she turned to leave, Fredrick stopped and turned her around.

"Now now, I've learned my lesson from the SR-1. You've got a bad habit of letting medical issues go out of hand, and I can't let that happen. I'd like to address a few things before you leave before they get any worse," Fredrick interrupted.

"But... I-I feeel fin..." she didn't get to finish her sentence before the mug fell from her hand and she began to tilt backward. Catching both with his biotics, he set the mug on a table and Shepard on one of the stretchers, keeping her face down. He noticed the issue, but decided to keep silent. Not while he was still near Miranda or being watched by Cerberus surveillance.

"What the blazes are you doing?" Chakwas asked, glaring from her desk.

Getting to work, Fredrick responded, "No need to worry, my good doctor. Just one small check up and I'll send her on her way." With the nanites that had subsided into her body from where he touched her shoulder, the nanites surgically opened the back of Linda's skull, causing the flesh, bone, skin, and hair to open like a trap door. His eyes immediately landed on the source of the problem at hand: two small chips at the back of Linda's left and right hemispheres. Gingerly, his nanites made their way out of her gray matter and plucked both bits of machinery out of her head. Putting the two bits into a sterilized beaker, he proceeded to use his nanites to put the pieces back into place, reconnect the cut tissue, re-initiate neural activity as he retrieve the nanites from Shepard's body.

As he looked at the two chips in the sterilized fluid, turning the liquid into a light-pink from Linda's blood, she slowly came back to her senses, pushing herself up from the bed. "Ugh, what just happened?"

Fredrick, not losing his stern glare at the beaker answered, "Not to worry, you weren't even out for five minutes."

Shooting up and getting off of the medical bed, Linda asked, "Five minutes? What the hell did you do?!"

"Relax, it's a new anesthetic function of medical nanites. I temporarily put you under so I could remove the inhibitor chips," Fredrick said, showing Linda the beaker.

"Inhi- what? I thought Miranda told me she didn't put any control devices in!" she screeched with shock.

"I know. I told her and Jack that you shouldn't receive any control devices, but Miranda continued anyways. Jack did confirm with me that Miranda should not compromise your personality, but it doesn't seem Dr. Lawson is very keen on listening to outside instruction," Fredrick continued.

Palming her face, still recovering from the anesthetic's affects, Shepard started, "Oh my god... how did you even manage to work that fast?"

"Not to worry, I'll be heading over there and filing my complaint. I'll be back in a moment." Fredrick hadn't bothered to remove his armor yet from yesterday, so he received a few glances from people in the mess hall as his armored footsteps lightly thumped the ground. Opening the door to Miranda's office and closing it behind him, Miranda was at her desk as expected.

"Can I help you, Colonel Müller? Is there something wrong?" she asked, looking away from her report.

"I want you to explain what is in the vial before me," he said holding up the beaker for Miranda to see.

Miranda's good attitude quickly vanished as she stared at the bits of sunken metal. "Where'd you get those?"

Fredrick didn't buy her bullshit. "Allow me to refresh your memory. I surgically pulled them out of Shepard's brain. Know why by any chance?"

Her shock shifted to annoyance. "I know you may not agree, but we want Commander Shepard to help with our long-term agenda. We've known her for her particularly erratic behavior and how she has destroyed Cerberus property i-"

His left hand crushed the beaker and its contents while the other dashed out, clutched her throat, and lifted her into the air. In futile resistance, Lawson launched a few bioitc attacks at him, only to be deflected by his barriers. In response, Fredrick tightened his grip on Miranda's neck. "Do not test me, Lawson. For the time being, Cerberus doesn't have too great an effect on my own long-term agenda, but I won't have a second thought about reducing you, Harper, and every last member under your banner to dust and ashes if you get in my way. The same goes for whatever public officials and puppets you have in place too. Understood?"

Miranda continued to gasp and jerk around defiantly as Fredrick continued to keep her hoisted into the air.

"Do you not value your own life enough? All I need to do is press here," he said as he thumbed her windpipe. "Here," he continued, fingering her neck bones. "Or flip you upside down and turn your head into a pancake if you so desire. I want to win this war. But I can't if you so persistently stand in my way." She gasped for air as she was dropped to the floor with a solid impact following. "Tell Harper the same thing while you're at it."

"Who the hell is Harper?" Lawson demanded as Fredrick opened her office door.

Looking back, Fredrick simply answered. "I pity you. You follow him religiously when he clearly hides enough from you to suspect something is wrong with the veil he has so generously sugar-coated your senses with."

He wasn't surprised by the time he exited to see Zaeed Massani, now in yellow, arm-less armor waiting outside. "Well I'll be damned. I thought she was pulling my leg when she said she'd be dragging you along for this trip."

Fredrick barely knew the mercenary, but he was all the more a welcome sight aboard the Cerberus vessel. "Massani! Jesus, Harper really is scraping together bits and pieces for this operation. You look very well for a man who was shot in the head," he greeted, shaking Zaeed's hand.

"Yeah, I still owe you that beer. Now I'm wondering what Shepard needs the rest of us for if she has you along, you god damned one-man army," Zaeed chuckled.

"Doesn't mean that I'm a god, and that the Harvesters will be wiped from existence by simply smiling at them, burning them to a fine crisp with the reflection of my teeth," Fredrick countered, breaking into a small grin.

"I wish. If that were the case, maybe we wouldn't have to worry about the bullshit doom and gloom about the Reapers wanting to... to... what the hell do they even do with each race again?" Zaeed asked, pausing between thoughts.

"Boil down the remains, condense them into synthetic material for more construction. I'm not sure for what though."

"Sooner or later, we'll find out, right?"

"We will. Whether it be before or after we reduce them to ash."

"Bloody hell. You haven't lost your touch, and I damn well look forward to seeing your style."

* * *

 _"Unfortunate. Your spy hasn't reported back?" Harbinger asked._

"I'm afraid not. It has been one hundred and seventy two hours since his sub-dermal implants have stopped broadcasting, meaning he's been capture and it was cut out, or he's dead," _the distorted voice responded._

 _"May as well cut ties while you can. However, the offer still stands. If you can capture her, bring her to us."_

"What of the Wolf? My sources have informed me he is aboard the SR-2 with her."

 _He boiled with rage. Even if he was protected, he was inactive. Not only has he returned to his fight defying him, but he was protecting Shepard as well. "Problematic" didn't remotely describe how disruptive this shift in events was. "You have information on him. Dig something up and find a weakness. He can't be invincible as some may claim."_

"You have clearly misjudged the Wolf. His reputation is no overstatement, he's proven himself to be truly a force of nature. Unyielding. Indestructible. Unreasonable. Hellbent on the destruction of those who oppose him and those he feels should be removed from the balance. I've lost plenty of resources to that white menace. I'd prefer you deal with that threat rather than place the issue on my shoulders."

 _"Your complaints are duly noted, but that brings up another idea. Keep a close eye on Fredrick. Look for loopholes and chinks in his defenses. If not Shepard, than knowledge on how to defeat him. This exchange is over."_


	4. Chapter 4: Sands of Time

(A/N): Have I undermined the Reapers in any way? I want to avoid the "malfunctioning AI" aspect, and I somewhat worry if I'm deviating too much in any way.

Chapter 4: Sands of Time

 _Perhaps Shepard should've left the council and focused on Nazara two years ago. I find it disgusting how the council is content with forgetting the Harvesters existence and allow people to barrel on oblivious to the writing on the wall. Tevos and Sparatus especially were lucky that they were on the opposite side of a hologram. However, Councilor Anderson isn't suffering the effects of infection, so I can probably deduce none of the others are infected either._

* * *

 **Aug 07, 2185**

 **10 hrs/50 min/40 sec**

 **Citadel Station**

"By the way, you may want to head up to the Presidium. The council will want to see the woman who let them keep their jobs," Captain Bailey chuckled.

"We were just on our way up there. Thanks for the help," Shepard responded as the team turned away.

Fredrick couldn't help but feel a subtle air of defeat as he walked through Zakera Ward. What was the center of the Harvester war machine was the center of every civilization. Time and time again, he dug for answers and presented the facts that were needed to imply something was blatantly wrong with the Citadel, the Relays, and the Prothean's "extinction." He knew there were still residual individuals like the _Normandy_ crew, Anderson, the Terrans, and Cerberus who believed in their existence, but the rest weren't so ready unless it was far too late to do anything about the issue.

Unlike two years prior where the team would take their time looking around at what the Presidium had to offer, they were made a beeline right towards the Alliance Embassy, entering in the middle of a council meeting. "Shepard will be here any- oh, Commander! We were just talking about you."

Keeping the same negotiator mask, she simply smiled and shook Anderson's hand and gave a small hug. "It's been a long time Anderson. I hope these last couple of years have been treating you well."

"It's been rough, but I'm holding. It's good to have you back," Anderson said with a weary smile.

"We've heard some unsettling rumors surrounding your unexpected return," Councilor Valeren started. Against the wall of Anderson's office were projections of the other councilors.

Taking the point forward, Tevos continued, "We called this meeting for you to explain your actions, Shepard. We owe you that much, as you did save our lives in the fight against Saren and his Geth."

"The Collectors have been abducting Human colonies out in the Terminus. Additionally, we have reason to believe they're working for the Reapers," Linda started.

"The Terminus Systems are beyond our jurisdiction! Your colonists knew this when they left Citadel Space," Sparatus spat.

"You're missing the point, Sparatus," Anderson defended. "The Reapers are involved."

"Ah yes! Reapers! The immortal race of sentient starships allegedly waiting in dark space! We've dismissed that claim," Sparatus growled, using air quotes.

Fredrick's blood silently boiled. It was bad enough that they continued to spit on Saren's name, but giving Shepard flak for reporting the truth was too much for him to withstand without breaking something. He needed to get out of that room before he broke something. Taping Zaeed on the shoulder, he whispered, "I've had enough of this bullshit. I'll be outside." The conversation became more and more distant until it became muffled by the door closing behind him. With a burst of rage, he slammed his fist into the wall to the immediate right, followed by a small "eek!" from an unseen source. With his enhanced vision, he spotted Kasumi, the woman they'd met at the docks before entering security. "Hello Kasumi. Forgive my behavior."

"It's quite alright," she forgave, still maintaining her cloak. "Politicians are annoying. I decided to come by after I moved my equipment onto the _Normandy_. May I ask what you were frustrated with?"

"The Harvesters are still out there, but the council has done absolute squat to combat them. I don't think I need to explain further," Fredrick said, leaning against the dent he made.

Kasumi briefly paused before asking again, "Why do you call them 'Harvesters' instead of 'Reapers'? I figured with the term more commonplace now, you would've adjusted."

"Helps moral. 'Reapers' sounds too ominous and threatening. Treat them as something menial and the problem becomes much simpler. Besides, 'Reapers' is a Prothean term, and we didn't discover the Harvester threat through the distant memories of the Protheans' ruins as we did on our own accord."

"Müller? What are you doing here?" Ambassador Udina asked as he walked up the stairs. Luckily, he didn't hear the conversation between himself and Kasumi.

"Brief visit. Go right in," Fredrick answered.

Without giving a second look, Udina walked into the office, allowing the two to resume their conversation. "I've know your history after looking you up and glancing in a few places where I shouldn't. How long have you been trying to prove the Reapers' existence?"

"Too long. I've easily debunked all other theories concerning the Protheans' extinction, but I've been recently forced back to watching engineers prepare for the inevitable war," Fredrick answered.

"Inevitable? I thought Anderson said the goal was to keep the Reapers in dark space."

"I'm not sure how you came to know about that quote, but I feel that not only is it a hopeless quandary. They're persistent, and they're not a force to be reasoned with, so I'm not expecting to get out of this conflict with ruins where homes used to be."

Kasumi chuckled. "Well well, quite the pessimist."

Suddenly, Udina burst back out from the door, more huffed up than when he first entered. "What's the joke behind this, Fredrick?" he demanded.

"You'll have to be more specific," Fredrick returned calmly.

"Shepard's now back, and Anderson has no idea what the hell he is doing. He's a soldier, not a politician!" Udina droned on.

"And you'd have done somehow better?" Fredrick asked as he stopped leaning against the wall.

"He's still concerned about the hullabaloo about 'Reapers' instead of focusing on maintaining relations with the other councilors and other means of not wasting taxpayer credits!"

Fredrick didn't know how Udina started his career, but the sad little man was another case of dumb-politician who shouldn't have any sort of power whatsoever. "Like you haven't done anything to jeopardize Human relations yourself, Udina. I'd argue that you'd drag Humans and Terrans further back than would be necessary. You have no understanding of historical context, much less the social hierarchy that this Galaxy works upon, and are nothing more than a walking timebomb waiting to create another incident."

"You... you listen to me, Aug! You have no say in what happens in-" Udina was cut short as he was lifted into the air.

"Shut the fuck up," Fredrick hissed before tossing Udina down the stairs. "Know your place, ambassador."

As Linda, Garrus, and Zaeed exited the office, Kasumi decloaked for a brief moment to greet the others. Shepard turned to Fredrick as she said, "I know it's a pain in the ass and I wanted to walk out too, but this is to keep them on our si-" Her eyes suddenly fixed on an injured Udina at the bottom of the stairs. "Uh, you had nothing to do with this hopefully?"

"He tripped. Wasn't looking and took a tumble," he lied.

"Right. Anyways, we won't be leaving just yet. I was planning on getting some upgrades and supplies with the funding we have before we leave, so we'll be here for a while," Shepard continued.

Nodding, he returned, "Fair enough. I was planning on picking up a package myself to give ourselves an edge over the Collectors. I'll be back at the _Normandy_ in a couple of hours."

"We'll be done in roughly the same amount of time," Linda added as Fredrick made his way to another set of docks. The _Sokol_ had set up on the Citadel Station in the aftermath of the Geth attack to prevent further incident, meaning that Ivan would be on the station as well. The day before, Fredrick sent Ivan a message concerning a need for an MG-13 for his mission against the Collectors, remembering the close encounter he had on Virmire back in 2183. He usually didn't utilize heavy weapons, much less shotguns and snipers, but it didn't mean he was incapable of using other weapon types.

As he rode down the elevator to the dock where the _Sokol_ was, the elevator he was in gradually piled up with various mercenaries from Blood Pack, Eclipse, and Blue Suns. Surprisingly, they weren't on the verge of killing each other. Unsurprisingly, they were on the verge of turning on Fredrick as the elevator continued to crawl through the shaft like molasses down a ramp on a cold day. As their biometrics continued to spike with adrenaline, Fredrick finally addressed their increasing agitation. "I'm aware that I'm not on the best terms with your respective factions, but I'm simply on the Citadel for business purposes. While I have no intention of wreaking havoc right now, I'm not afraid to walk around the station coated in eight people's blood. If you value your lives, you will ignore me and go about your day."

* * *

 **11 hrs/10 min/38 sec**

 **TMD _Sokol_ , Ivan's office**

"Bomb has been defused. Counter Terrorists win!"the infamously monotone announcer informed.

Ivan nearly rolled out of his chair with laughter as he listened to his teammates' reaction. The ungrateful bastards were severely under-performing, forcing him to narrowly carry the team for twelve rounds straight. _"How do you like them apples, bitches? Fucking A, you guys are terrible!"_

"Just shut the fuck up," some teammate groaned over the mic.

Ivan just wasn't stopping. _"You shut the fuck up! You're on the bottom of the scoreboard, bitch! Suck my d-"_

"I'm not dealing with this asshole. Stay on your servers, Rusky," another teammate groaned as a vote menu opened up on the left of the screen.

Now Ivan was straight up infuriated. _"Wow, you salty motherfuckers. I'm carrying this team! You guys can't aim for shit, wandering around like you're blind, deaf, and dumb-"_ The votes continued to roll in mercilessly. _"Know what? Fine! Fuck you! Uninstall! Pick up a coloring book instead, you waste of air!"_ The notification that he was voted off the server showed up before he could properly finish his finally his last insult. _"Fuck!"_

His telecom implant began to vibrate, informing him of an incoming call. _"Hey! Ivan! You there?"_

Ivan, however, was still focused on his recent game. _"You wouldn't believe it! My team just kicked me for no reason!"_

 _"You do realize that most translators don't have Russian coded into them. Right?"_ Fredrick asked. _"Anyways, did you get my message earlier?"_

"Yeah! Yeah, I did. Where will I be meeting you? Are you on the Citadel?" Ivan asked, standing to make his way to the armory to get the weapon crate Fredrick asked for.

 _"I'm right outside the Sokol, on the docks. Meet me outside with the crate, and don't forget the portable generator,"_ Fredrick answered.

"Got it. I'll be there in a moment." With the crate under one arm, and the portable generator's strap over the other shoulder, Ivan exited the _Sokol_ onto the dock, before being approached by a color-coated Fredrick like he fell into a pile of paint cans on his way to the docks. "Christ! What happened?"

"Minor industrial accident. I'll clean it up later," Fredrick answered simply, reaching for the crate.

Sighing, Ivan countered, "That's clearly blood."

"They had it coming. They attacked unprovoked." To be fair, the mercenaries in the elevator did attack Fredrick first.

"Yeah, but I'd hate to see you get in trouble for your more brash tactics. So don't expect me to break you out of prison if you are arrested for approaching a child while coated in four gallons of different people's blood," Ivan chastised.

"Alright, fine. No need to drag this out. I already get enough of this sort of thing from Shepard as is." Fredrick gave a light, friendly pat on Ivan's shoulder pad as he left.

"Just wash up and don't do anything stupid out there," Ivan shrugged as he glared at the colorful handprint on his armor before returning to his post aboard the _Sokol_.

* * *

 **Aug 09, 2185**

 **15 hrs/45 min/03 sec Local Time**

 **Purgatory Prison Station**

The door opened, allowing Warden Kuril to give the team a wide view of the Blue Suns' prison station's interior. "Cellblock Two: as you can see, we keep a tight control on the populace. Each prisoner's cell is a self-contained modular unit. I've blown a few out the airlock as an example." The prison was like a bee hive, where the walls were lined with pods upon pods of convicts of various species. Down below from the contained catwalk they were walking through, guards and sentries kept a close eye on the few convicts that were allowed to roam freely. "The ship consists of thirty block similar to this one. We house thousands of convicts. Additionally, we can put the whole place under lockdown on a moment's notice."

As the warden paused, Linda took the time to ask a few additional questions. "What can you tell me about Jack? The dossier didn't reveal much."

"Cerberus didn't tell you? Jack is possibly the most concentrated form of malevolence I have ever encountered, even eclipsing the Wolf in some respects," Kuril answered, making a minor gesture to Fredrick. "She's dangerous, crazy, and powerful, we lost plenty of good men capturing her. You'll seen enough."

Continuing forward, Shepard wanted to know more about the prison barge. "How'd you end up commanding this prison?"

"I was an officer in the Palaven Military Police once upon a time, fed up with watching criminals escape the law time and time again. Bounty Hunters aren't dependable," Kuril started.

"You obviously didn't hire the right ones," Zaeed injected.

Continuing, Kuril added, "Not everyone can afford your exorbitant 'bring in alive' prices, Massani. Then I hit upon the idea of keeping them locked up in space, and away from the populace, keeping the Galaxy safer overall. Every day I see the worst sapient life has to offer. Governments are too soft, not willing to make the hard choices. I decided to step up in their stead." Fredrick noted as Garrus seemingly shifted rather uncomfortably in his spot.

"I must admit, I'm impressed by your ability to maintain such a populace while you are so isolated from any planetary resources," Fredrick complemented.

"That's because we can cut corners governments can't. Each prisoner that comes here brings a fee from their homeworlds. These individuals are violent, and their home planets pay well to keep them locked up. Failure usually results in us dropping them back off where they came from, as we can't afford to sustain them without the proper funding," the warden explained.

Fredrick nodded with approval. "Can't say I entirely improve of the business model, but I can most definitely vouch for the basis upon which the concept stand."

"Surprised you'd approve."

"We all get sick of cleaning up for the Galaxy at some point. Just curious, have there been any escape attempts?" Fredrick commented.

"We're in space. They have nowhere to go and they know it. However, we still exercise extreme caution with these people, and as such, we perform many methods to control them." Almost to emphasize his point, the team looked down below and saw two inmates fighting each other when a Blue Suns soldier tapped a few buttons on his omnitool, separating the two with energy bubbles for each, generated by a mechanical tower. As the team walked into a second segment of the ship, Kuril broke off and made his way back the way they came after saying, "Outprocessing is at the end of the hallway. I'm going off to make sure the Cerberus funds clear. Just keep going past the interrogation rooms and the supermax wing. I'll catch up with you later... Shepard."

"That's blatantly suspicious if I've ever seen it," Zaeed added as they came into view of the interrogation rooms. The immediate one to their right had a Blue Suns soldier outside on guard and one inside repeatedly beating a prisoner.

"Honestly, what are they trying to achieve? This is neither a proper form of interrogation nor execution," Fredrick added, as Linda quickly convinced the guards to lay off.

The team walked into outprocessing as the technician inside informed them, "Outprocessing is just beyond that door on the far side of the room."

Fredrick only briefly scanned the door before recognizing the next room as a prison cell, not a chamber. Grabbing the technician and smashing his head through the monitor he was working at, Fredrick demanded, "Are you high on red sand? That's clearly not outprocessing you lying shit."

 _"My apologies, Shepard,"_ Kuril said over the intercom as the cell doors at the opposite side of the room opened. _"You're more valuable as a prisoner than a customer, Wolf even more so. Now drop your weapons and proceed into the cell. You will not be harmed."_

Fredrick smashed the engineers head against the keyboard, causing the head to collapse in a brilliant display of red spray. "If you want a piece of my ass as a trophy, you'll need to physically come down here and shove me in there yourself," Fredrick spat as he drew his rifle.

 _"Activate systems!"_

* * *

 **16 hrs/04 min/02 sec**

"Hostile down," Fredrick said after hacking open a lone Blue Suns soldier as the team entered the supermax wing. The room looked like a small medical wing with a window at the otherside, facing another set of cryopods with three YMIR mechs on guard below. By the window was a single monitor, and Fredrick didn't need to further investigate to know what it did. "Shepard, looks like we don't have much of a choice. Opening Jack's cryopod will dump the whole ship on us."

Taking a deep breath, Linda stepped forward and mashed a few buttons. "I'm doing it. Be ready." The crane above the floor below reached down to pull a single loaded stasis pod, already prepared to be opened prior to their arrival, causing the YMIR mechs to turn their attention to the prisoner being released. The cryopod opened to reveal a bald, scrawny, heavily tattooed woman, wearing only overalls and boots.

"An awful lot of trouble for an awfully small package," Fredrick commented. He knew Jack was also a female name, however, it came to be a surprise why anyone would bother covering her gender up until this point. He continued to watch as Jack stirred awake, yanked herself out of her bindings with anger, before running out in a blue hue to attack the three heavy mechs, tearing them to pieces in a matter of seconds. "Hell hath no mercy. Let's go!"

Fighting both the Blue Suns security forces and loose convicts, the "tranquil" prison ship had quickly turned into a madhouse of explosions, low-power red lights, and corpses from both sides. For Fredrick, it felt exhilarating to finally return to combat, dashing from cover to cover, ripping the toughest mechs to pieces, and brutalizing the Blue Suns who allowed themselves to get too close to him. The fight seemed to blur by as his instincts kicked in and took control, leaving nothing but the overwhelming sensation of adrenaline. Entering the segment they entered through, he was almost caught off-guard by a hail of LMG fire. Rolling to cover, he picked up a fallen grenade launcher from another dead Batarian vanguard.

The other three followed shortly, before Kuril, armed with an M-76 Revenant, began his rant. As he fired upon them, he shouted over the distant screams and alarms, "You're valuable, Shepard. I could've sold you and lived like a king. But you're too much trouble! At least I can recapture Jack!"

Peaking from cover and firing off a few shots, Shepard countered, "Not happening! You're a two-bit slave trader and I don't have time for it!"

"I do the hard things governments aren't willing to do! This is for the good of the galaxy!" Kuril continued.

For a brief moment, the memory of Fredrick's final view of Saren at the top of the steps in the Citadel tower flashed before his eyes before he got to work. Initiating his nanite shield he made a swift dash around the room shooting the opened shield generators with his side arm, dropping them in a few shots while occasionally tossing around Blue Suns grunts against the wall or trampling them underfoot. As the shield around the warden dropped, Fredrick was met with another round of fire from the Revenant. Tossing a stun grenade and an EMP grenade, Fredrick popped up, charged the elevated position, fired several rounds from the scavenged grenade launcher, then launched himself upward to meet Kuril up close.

* * *

 **16 hrs/19 min/36 sec**

 _"Bastards. They thought they could stop me."_ Jack was almost to freedom as she tossed a couple of Blue Suns against the walls to her sides as she exited onto the docking area of the prison ship, hoping to find a parked vessel to steal. Peering outside, her hopes were dashed as she saw a sleek white, black, and yellow battle cruiser with a very distinct emblem. "Cerberus!" she hissed among a series of other growls, howls, and angered curses.

"Hey you! Stop!" A single Batarian soldier she failed to notice began to charge her when a black, sleek blade flew by her head and pierced right between his four eyes. Turning, she saw a tall soldier in white, red, and blue paint followed closely by a Turian in battered, blue, heavy armor, an redhead N7 soldier wearing the distinct white, red, and dark steely gray, and an older man wearing a sleeveless set of heavily customized yellow armor.

She was afraid. She hated the emotion. Too much was tacked onto the sensation as the four soldiers began to approach her. "Who are you? What the hell do you want?" Jack screamed.

"I just saved your ass. Besides, you're in a bad situation and I'm here to get you out," Linda said, trying to maintain a calm disposition.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm already dead, and you sound like a pussy. Anyways, I'm not going anywhere with you. You're with Cerberus," Jack spat as she paced around the exit.

"I'm here to ask for your help," Shepard continued, grinding her teeth as the station exploded in the distance.

Jack clearly had some beef with Cerberus. "You think I'm stupid? That's clearly a Cerberus vessel docked with this station."

"All things considered, it's certainly better spaced or blown to dust now that Purgatory is falling apart. We can get you to safety and we're asking for your help. I don't think it's necessary to go chapter and verse into this." Linda was not interested in getting spaced again.

Fredrick was clearly annoyed by the whole situation. "We're running out of time. I'll just incapacitate her and revive her back on the ship."

"I'd like to see you try," Jack threatened.

Fredrick simply scoffed. "It wouldn't be so much trying as it would be breathing in your general direction."

"We're _not_ hurting her," Linda interrupted.

"Smart move," Jack responded sarcastically. "Look, you want me aboard, you make it worth my damn time. That vessel's bound to have access to some Cerberus databases, right?If you want me on board, give me access to the files. I want to see what Cerberus has on me."

"You're as much their friend as they are ours. I'll give you full access," Linda said, not caring what Jack sought.

"Good. So why are we still standing here?" Purgatory collapsed mere moments after their departure.

* * *

 **Aug 11, 2185**

 **08 hrs/57 min/55 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay**

"Stand still, dammit!" Fredrick bickered. "I can't patch your face up if you're constantly moving!"

"Well *ow* last time you did one of *ow* these sorts of operations, you were nowhere near this rough *ow*!" Garrus returned between grunts of pain. Fredrick had peeled off the bandage over Garrus' injured face and was using his nanites to accelerate the healing process in conjunction with the mechanical implants the Turian already had to help with healing.

Unexpectedly, Jack walked in, despite her desire to remain isolated. "Hey, doc."

"Hmm, yes?" Fredrick asked, not looking up from his work.

"Just trying to get associated with the non-Cerberus crew. Despite the whole Frankenstein's Monster vibe you give off, you clearly aren't a Cerberus grunt. Enemy of my enemy is my friend... or associate as I'd prefer," she said, taking not of Fredrick's synthetic physiology. On the new SR2, Fredrick had finally taken to wearing his civies more often while keeping his armor piled of the floor.

"Oh, that's nice to know," he commented, putting a new bandage onto Garrus' face. "So just Jack? No surname? You should be good Garrus."

"What else do you need to know? I know how to handle myself. I'm a big girl. I'm asking what the hell you are," Jack inquired.

Tapping away at his omnitool, Fredrick said, "I'd like to, but I'm in no mood to be called a pussy for whatever I say that doesn't hit the right notes for you."

Jack wasn't exactly someone to be downplayed like that. "Hey! Just because I-"

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Miranda barked, marching into the medbay.

The convict looked nonchalantly at the Cerberus operative. "I haven't even done anything yet, Cerberus bitch. What the hell do you want?"

"Not you, Müller! Do you have no sense of self-containment?" she said, continuing to stomp forward in her white and black catsuit.

Fredrick simply looked down at the woman, unable to develop any respect of Lawson's authority. "Last I recall, I haven't done anything significant either."

"In case you failed to notice, the ANN put a lovely article up about a particular 'Relentless Wolf.' Specifically, after nearly killing the Human Ambassador, openly murdering an elevator full of people, then lugging around an enormous crate of unspecified contents before crawling aboard a reverse engineered SR-1! If you weren't told, I'd prefer if we didn't draw attention towards ourselves!" Miranda said, shoving a datapad at Fredrick with the article she was referencing.

Fredrick's eyes swiftly skimped over the article before looking back at the angry XO. "Okay. And?"

Unfortunately for Miranda, she had minimal exposure to Fredrick and his outrageous personality. "In case I didn't make it clear enough, explain yourself."

Oh, this was an easy question. "Firstly, Udina and the group of mercs I was piled in with had it coming. Secondly, that crate has contents which will help us in future missions. Thirdly, it's already apparent that Shepard has returned from the grave, so that final point is moot. Now get out of my work place, I'm busy," Fredrick defended.

Angrily growling, Miranda stomped right back out of the medbay, much to Fredrick and Jack's amusement. "Okay, not so much like old times," Garrus commented.

Jack simply nodded with approval. "Eh, since you're no fan of Cerberus or that slut either, I think I'll be more comfortable around you Wolf."

"Enemy of my enemy? Well if it keeps nuts like these in check." Fredrick found Jack to be an amusing character. "What has Cerberus have on you that you were interested in?" he asked.

"I was a test subject at some point. Anyways, Shepard had ordered Solus to put together an L5 implant for me, told me you'd have it put in when it was done."

Garrus left the medbay as Fredrick turned to plastic medical cooler and opened the lid. He looked at the small implant as he slowly untangled the mess of wires, checking if it was complete. "Yeah, Mordin brought it in a few hours back. Lie on the bed and we'll get started, I'll be done before too long."

* * *

 _There was the window. A perfect coincidence to both make another pickup, and demotivate Shepard. However, it couldn't help but wonder about the coincidence of the scenario. It was too perfect. The drones would proceed, but not before thoroughly scouting the various connections to ensure the next harvest wouldn't be interrupted, or become costly. One of Shepard's servants, Alenko was on the planet surface below, constructing towers, possibly for an all-out assault by the Human forces._

 _With a sudden calculation, it reached out to make another call._ "I'm still gathering information. I promise to have a full package by the time I deliver," _the contact answered._

 _"That's not the issue at hand. We've got our next goal in mind, but it could be risky. Would it be possible to order your agents to commit several acts of sabotage?"_

"It will be done at the same price as usual."

 _"That will not be a concern. The details of this minor job are being sent. I've been observing this next issue closely, and I want this done before we make our next move." Harbinger had finally dug up Nazara's most recent files concerning his contact with Shepard and her associates. All that needed to be done was to undermine her willpower, she was smart and mentally capable, but she didn't have the destructive capability of Fredrick. He was the primary target, and his demise was all that mattered._


	5. Chapter 5: Maypole of Mayhem

(A/N): Should I at some point write an Andromeda spinoff? I kinda get the feeling that I won't be able to in any way, shape, or form be able write it and maintain the same tone I have been for the rest of the Distanced series, both themes and seriousness. The choice will be still written in, but left indefinitely in limbo. Also, blimey is this a long chapter. I do apologize that this was a long one and that it took so long to finish.

Chapter 5: Maypole of Mayhem

 _Some days I wished I could work without everyone else's criticisms, specifically Linda's. I honestly don't see why she has to make such a scene over the death of people I have all inclination to shoot. She damn well knew of how I approach problems, and I know she's been slightly detached to how the rest of us have changed while she was in a medical coma, but I've also made it pretty apparent that my methods get results. Letting things loose on Horizon still felt good though._

* * *

 **Aug 16, 2185**

 **15 hrs/19 min/44 sec Local Time**

 **Korlus, Imir System, Eagle Nebula**

Shepard set foot on the ground first and quickly dashed to cover with Fredrick, Zaeed, and Garrus following shortly behind. Their next recruit was a Krogan Warlord and veteran of the Krogan Rebellion by the name of Dr. Okeer. Both brilliant and ruthless, the intel they'd been provided suggested that he was continuously working on a cure for the Genophage and had knowledge of the Collector's goals and inner workings. As of recently, he'd been working for another division of the Blue Suns for unidentified reasons. As the shuttle took off, leaving a cloud of dust around them, Linda noted to the others, "The dossier didn't specify whether Okeer is on this planet by choice. Assume hostiles."

In the distance, a female voice boomed over loudspeakers, barking orders and bolstering the speaker's ego simultaneously. _"The only measure of success is to kill or be killed."_

"Someone needs to invest in a more efficient form of telecommunications," Fredrick commented.

"Stay focused, we're looking for a Krogan Warlord. He can't be too hard to find," Linda ordered, barely audible over the constant ranting of the mercenary commander.

Keeping an eye on his HUD and glancing through the rubble, Fredrick noticed a small cluster of hostiles around a corner they were approaching, including a placement gun. "Outpost ahead, stay sharp," Fredrick alerted, cooking a grenade in one hand. As the grenade detonated, Fredrick unleashed a biotic shockwave to cover his approach to the enemy placement. Swiftly switching out the battery, he snapped his rifle onto a Blue Suns trooper trying to make an advance from around cover before returning to his full height. Further down the path, having been flung back by the initial explosion, was suffering from minor bleeding and a small concussion.

Pushing himself up on the wall of scrap metal behind him, the downed soldier winced in pain, cursing, "Shit! Shit! *cough* Won't stop bleeding! I- *gasp* I'm gon- *cough cough* Sonuvabitch!"

Fredrick simply gave a quick biometric scan. "Quit bitching. Your injuries are superficial," he chastised, stomping up to the writhing soldier.

"He doesn't need to know that," Linda reminded.

Barely able to stand, the soldier's gaze finally focused on his attackers. "Agh! I knew it wasn't berserkers! Not at range! You're mercs! Or Alliance! I'm not saying jackshit!"

Ignoring the man's pain, Shepard prompted, "We're here to pick up Dr. Okeer, and we need directions. Unless, you're willing to pass up an opportunity for some medical attantion." Almost to add insult to injury, she flashed her omnitool out for a second.

"Who? Ah, hell. You already know more than I do! I'm just here to kill the Krogan that come seeping out of the labs. Jedore wants an army, but the Krogan she breeds in the labs are fucking crazy! We mostly use them for target practice. I don't get paid enough for this bullshit!" Siting back down, the soldier continued to heave with pain.

 _"Outpost 4, do you read? Jedore wants us to move, we need coordinates on that Krogan pack."_ A voice from a shoulder mounted telecom device spoke audibly to the group.

Before Linda could react, Fredrick simply leveled his pistol with the soldier's head and fired, causing the group to flinch from the sudden move. Reaching down to pick up the telecom device, Fredrick modified his vocal cord output to mimic the dead man's and responded, "What pack? There was a single squad of those things we gunned down and that's it."

 _"A squad? Jedore's going to be pissed. She wanted a show,"_ the voice continued.

"Look, dumbass. I don't know what the hell that bitch wants, but if she wants my word so badly, tell her that my eyes have straight up told me, 'I don't see shit!'" Fredrick continued to argue using the copied voice.

 _"Yeah, fine, whatever. See if I care, asshole,"_ the operator returned before cutting the call.

Dropping the device on the ground, Shepard could hardly be bothered to call him out on the dead merc. As Zaeed hummed with intrigue, he asked, "How much do those implants go for again?"

Fredrick was unsure of how to answer. "I'm not sure. Other than helping some First Contact vets physically recover, there's no market for Terran-made implants."

* * *

 **15 hrs/40 min/19 sec**

"Get the fuck up," Fredrick mumbled as he revived Zaeed.

Garrus turned his attention briefly as he finished off the offending heavy trooper. "Taking a direct hit from a rocket is easier said than done."

"Then don't waddle out in the open."

It became pretty apparent that the Blue Suns had received more than they bargained for. Established by what the Blue Suns soldier had told them earlier, if they weren't focused on them, they were concentrating their efforts against a large number of rampaging Krogan soldiers with no coordination, direction, or sense of cover. Slowly waddling towards them in the open, the Krogan clones weren't so much a threat as they were an afterthought. At the very exterior of the facility, a single friendly Krogan explained that he and all the other clones were rejects, trained and taught while they still resided in their birthing chambers. Letting them in through a broken wall, the Krogan left them to wander outside, waiting for its "call."

The Blue Suns on the other hand became gradually more numerous as they got deeper into the building where the Krogan hadn't gotten yet. Needless to say, the excessive barrage of ML-77 Missile Launcher rounds was annoying until Fredrick's biotic barriers gave Garrus a big enough window to pick them off. The "labs" themselves were barely anything more than the miles of scrap left behind by the Krogan Rebellions, left with panels ready to fall onto unsuspecting victims and ledges with little to prevent people from falling to their demise, whatever may be their final cause of death. In an effort to save ammunition, Fredrick used the environment to his fullest advantage, whether it be tossing panels to smash or maim, tossing individuals off the aforementioned ledges, tossing them onto jagged and rusty metal, shooting at places above to drop the crumbling ceiling onto the Blue Suns, or shooting the ground beneath them as it finally reached the threshold of breaking.

Garrus watched as with one flick of his biotics, Fredrick impaled a merc on a metal rod sticking from a wall, flung a sharp sheet of metal at another, completely severing the torso from the hip. "That's... a bit overkill. Impressive regardless."

He couldn't care less. Fredrick had basically given up on seeking the approval of his comrades as they judged him by the morality of his actions. He was and always would be remembered as a war criminal, so there was basically no point in trying to alter his behavior to convince the public otherwise. Not that there was any need to justify his actions against a crime syndicate well known for extortion, weapons and drug smuggling, espionage, slavery, bribery, and being the infamous hands of every crime lord who knew which mercenaries were worth their grain of salt. Even outside of service in the Terran Republic, his job was to make sure they stayed out of Terran Space, and nothing else, as the crimes they committed throughout the rest of the Galaxy were not their concern. Yet.

Approaching the room leading to the main lab, Linda, Garrus, and Fredrick were honestly surprised to see a face they'd only briefly met on Virmire two years before. "Hey! Don't shoot! It's me! Rana! We met on Virmire, remember?" Thanoptis begged, holding her hands up in surrender from her desk.

Linda holstered her shotgun as she approached the Asari scientist. "Rana? What are you doing here? How'd you end up working for the Blue Suns?"

Shutting off her monitor, she rose from her desk and faced the squad. "I shut off the security cams as soon as I saw it was you. After you let me go on Virmire, I barely managed to escape a nuclear explosion using a utility pod. Now, I know it is sketchy that I'm working for a bunch of mercs, but believe me when I say I'm putting the second chance to good use."

The three members of the squad were unable to discern whether or not to trust the lab worker they'd seen working in a dungeon crammed with various nightmares. "If you claim your work is somehow beneficial to society, then please educate me," Linda inquired.

"To clarify, I'm not working for the mercenaries. Jedora is on a standard power trip. Okeer on the other hand is trying to do something good, even if his methods are extreme. I know you may call into question his goals, but I believe in them as well, and that the ends justify the means," Thanoptis defused.

Garrus stared at a dead clone on a work table. "So what exactly have you been doing for the last couple of years?" he cautiously asked, glancing into the gaping chest cavity, hacked wide open to expose the internal organs for study.

"As I continue my research into indoctrination, I've managed to develop a mental imprint routine for his cloning tanks to educated his clones. Unfortunately, the process is still being refined and most of the teachings don't get through. He simply dumps his rejects," the Asari answered. "He wants to help his people, but he's not developing a cure for the Genophage, or looking for a means to rapidly reproduce unnaturally."

Sighing, Linda responded, "Fine. Just don't let me catch you in a place like this again."

Turning back to her desk and picking up her monitor and holding it under her arm, she returned, "Thank you, Shepard. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going before you nuke the place again," as she calmly walked out of the room.

Fredrick humphed as the others turned to continue. "I'm still not picking up anything strange on her biometrics, but she does act rather strangely."

Just beyond the ward doors, the room opened up significantly into a full laboratory with a window overlooking a chamber full of cloning pods. "Ah! About time! I've been watching your progress, and you don't seem to move as quickly as legend proclaims, Shepard. These tank batteries won't last forever while you play with these idiotic mercs!" A single Krogan was staring at a monitor to their immediate right, to the far side of the window looking into the breeding chamber. To his side was another cloning pod, containing a young Krogan with gray armor.

"What's it going to be, Okeer? You don't seem to be happy here, and neither do you seem very happy to see that I'm here to get you out." Linda had been on edge as she and the others plowed through resistance.

"You may claim to be here to help, but the sight of the previously dead Shepard is not a welcome sign of change. Now don't act surprised that I know who you are. Should I need to remind you, or has Rana refreshed your memory of Virmire for me?"

"We didn't have plenty of choices on our plate at the time," Fredrick objected. "Besides, from the dossier, I presumed you would have done something similar."

"The Wolf is correct. I approve of your disposal of that facility. Saren's pathetic horde were pathetic imitations of true Krogan. Works of an outsider. The same mistake the Blue Suns have made. I gave Jedore my rejects for her army, but she grows impatient. It is convenient that you've arrived in such a timely manner to extract me," Okeer continued to rant.

"Doesn't matter. We need your help because you've been in contact with the Collectors. Is that not true?" Fredrick countered. It was bad enough the post-Saren world unfairly looked upon the dead Specter as a traitor, but being deep into territory where everything including the Collectors wanted him dead made the itch worse.

"Yes, the Collector attacks have increased, a Human concern. However, my requests were focused elsewhere." Okeer made his way back to the cloning pod to emphasize his point. "In return for some of my rejects, I had purchase their technology and knowledge to create one pure Krogan. This child before us will inflict upon the Genophage the greatest insult an enemy could suffer: to be ignored. I still have information right here, but the tech was consumed in the creation of this soldier after I determined how to use it properly. Unfortunate, but I only need one success."

"I'm confused as well, you cranky wheezer," Zaeed started. "For the zealot your history describes you to be, I figured the best long-term goal would be to mass produce Krogan to start up the Rebellions again."

Sharply turning, Okeer answered, "Numbers don't represent strength. Purity of traits do, and the Wolf represents this greatly. He may lead legions of Terrans, but only he will stand in the end because is strong, intelligent, and adaptable. Because he alone knows best how to utilize the technology and capabilities granted to him by his forefathers. I'll admit that this ideal was what influenced the construction of my prototype."

Uncomfortable, Fredrick agreed with all of Okeer's perspectives. "I must be some kind of standard: the WMD of the 22nd Century."

"And you know this to be true, do you not? Things may continue regardless of your presence, but you still admit that the galaxy around you shifts with the wake you create." Regardless of Okeer's ruthless methods, he did speak the truth. "This is a trial by fire. For every thousand stillborn, too many weaklings continue on. I say we live with the Genophage! That it be allowed to filter our race. That we may continue to build upon the remains of our dead. That is the Krogan way."

Shepard was most definitely convinced by Okeer's rambling. "Your methods may be extreme, but you most certainly know how to dismantle a threat. Will you join us?"

"I will. However, my prototype is non-negotiable. It is the key to my legacy. It must survive." Unfortunately, Okeer's extraction was disrupted by the continued rambling of Jedora over the intercom.

 _"Attention! I've traced the source of the Krogan release. Okeer, of course. I'm calling a blank slate on the project. Gas these commandos and flush out the tanks, we can start over from Okeer's data."_ Observing the cloning chamber below, a single Blue Suns commander in tech armor paced back and forth, hand to her intercom. Seconds after her command ended, the pipes began pump with some nauseous gas into the individual tanks. Similarly, a single pipe began to pump the toxin into the cloning tank next to Okeer.

"Bagh! She's that weak-willed?" Okeer barked. "She'll kill my legacy with a damn valve! Shepard, you want information on the Collectors? Stop her. She'll access the entirety of the Omega-06 containers before she is done with these clones."

"Couldn't you start over like she intends to?" Garrus asked, barely turning his gaze from the commander below.

"Like I said, this is a pure prototype. As much trial as data went into its creation. Reconstruction will not produce the same results. She'll be with the reject tanks. I'll stay and do what must be done." Okeer was typing like mad at the monitor next to the tank.

Walking towards the opposite side of the lab and pulling out her shotgun, Shepard ordered, "You just be ready for us to move out with that tank. We'll go deal with her before it's too late." As the team rushed out of the lab, Fredrick couldn't help but notice as the green light of the lock instantly turned to red as it shut behind them. Ignoring change, they exited into the massive cloning chamber, with tanks lining the floor and ceiling. Jedore, starting up a YMIR bot, began to fire at them with a rocket launcher. "Get to cover!"

Rolling to the cover of a tank, the heavy fire of the YMIR pelted the glass on top of the cover Fredrick hid behind. What mattered was that he got a clear shot at Jedore, the others shouldn't have too much trouble with the mech. As Linda continued to pelt the metallic beast with a grenade launcher, Fredrick took advantage of the distraction and made his advance towards the mercenary leader. Hiding around a corner, rockets whistled by, detonating at the wall away from the two. Occasionally peaking to get off single potshots, he hoped to bait her forward, closer to one of the clone tanks, taking advantage of her brash tactics. Finally getting close enough, he popped a single shot at one of the toxin pipes she was standing next to, spraying the woman down with a hefty dose of Omega-06. He felt an air of satisfaction as her skin flaked, and her eyes, nose, and mouth began to bleed profusely, clawing at her face as she tried desperately to breath. "*cough cough* You bitch!" she screamed in agony. "*cough cough cough* You fucking bitch! *gasp* You won't be- *gack* You can't hide forever from the Blue Suns, Wolf! *gasp* One of us will- will..." she continued to sputter before rolling over dead in a pool of her own blood.

Returning to the others as the YMIR mech's self destruct sequence detonated. "Fucking hell, what the hell did you do to her?" Zaeed cursed.

EDI's synthesized voice talked over their suit intercoms, informing, _Shepard, the lab alarms coincided with a system failure. The remaining lab systems are unprotected, and I've gained limited access. According to the lab scanners, the main lab is flooded with the Omega-06 agent, and Okeer's life signs are rapidly fading. I recommend haste._

"That gas has a ridiculously high death-rate. I doubt we'll find anything left of Okeer," Fredrick commented. The team returned to the lab door they exited, only to be faced by a red lock and a series of automated warnings.

 _"Alert: heavy toxins have flooded the main lab. Please wait as the environment is flushed of all hazards,"_ the facility VI chimed.

The door slid open, revealing the intact Krogan tank and a dead Okeer. It had become apparent that in an effort to save his pet project, Okeer opted to have himself killed by the toxins instead, as orange blood coated the monitor and floor around his body. The crazed Krogan left a final message, giving his condolences at his inability to give them his information on the Collectors, and that everything he knew was in his prototype. "Spirits, he gassed himself just to save his experiment?" Garrus commented.

Fredrick calmly walked around the doctor's corpse to get a closer look at the Krogan within the tank. The gray armor had a front-facing barrier projector on the chest, no arm-pads, and looked generally sleeker and rounder than most angular Krogan sets of armor. Additionally, the clone's head crest was still developing and resembled that of a child's head crest, with a similar shade of gray to fit the armor. "Knowing Okeer's reputation, whatever is in this test tube must be really important."

"A 'pure' Krogan could pack a punch, and we could always use another heavy lifter," Linda reminded.

Zaeed shrugged as he followed up with, "Your call. Do what you want to do and let's get moving." Zaeed and Fredrick got to work as they detached the pod from the wall.

" _Normandy_? Okeer's a no-go, but we've got a heavy package that needs retrieval. A big one to. Transmitting our current coordinates for pickup."

* * *

 **August 18, 2185**

 **12 hrs/11 min/47 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay**

"Intriguing. Most intriguing. What's your thoughts on this, Dr. Solus?" Fredrick asked, pulling his gaze away from the opened chest cavity of the young Krogan. After the blue eyed Krogan threatened to crush Shepard during his initial moments outside of the cloning pod, Mordin and Fredrick agreed to further explore the interior of the "pure" Krogan to better understand its biology.

"Strange indeed. Usual redundant organs all there. Coupled with inorganic components provided by Collectors. Can't say. Never worked with Collector tech before this mission," Mordin hummed as his gaze was fixed on the data pad in his hands.

"So what exactly are the two of you looking for?" the young "Grunt" asked. At the beginning of the operation, Fredrick had rendered "Grunt" unconscious using his nanites, but had quickly recovered not five minutes later, probably due to some resistance to the anesthetic affects offered by one of the Collector implants. However, Grunt was taking the fact there were two men poking at him through a giant hole in his chest cavity surprisingly well.

"Engineered Krogan is unheard of in common society. If I'll be working with you in the field, I want a better idea of how your organs function so I patch you up properly," Fredrick answered as he continued to dig through Grunt's chest.

Mordin had plenty of experience working with Krogan organs during his time in the STG, but his memories were beginning to waver with old age. "Excuse me, have to ask. One last time. Are you confident you cannot connect with neural link?"

Groaning, Fredrick straightened up and faced the Salarian doctor. "For the last time. I haven't been able to connect since yesterday. I don't know what's going on, maybe the neural servers are down for an update. If it continues to be a problem, then I'll contact someone about it."

"Update? What for? Surprised that Terrans would willingly compromise their own network," Mordin commented.

"Ever since we blew up Nazara on the Citadel, we've had more reliable information on how to upgrade our equipment to be better prepared to face off against another, if not multiple Harvesters in combat. With the software we found in the destroyed Harvester's remains, we found additional viruses that we already knew existed, prompting the need for improved protection. For a while, the neural hub has been given preventative means of resisting a hostile takeover," Fredrick answered.

"Defenses? Firewalls? Please explain further." Before Fredrick could answer Mordin's final question, Shepard entered the medbay.

"There you are, Mordin. I just got a call from the Illusive Man, a colony went silent and it's probably under attack from Collectors. Once you're done closing the gaping hole you've put into Grunt, the three of you will be on the frontal ground team with me. Mordin, have you finished that seeker swarm countermeasure yet?" As Mordin quickly made his way back to his lab, Fredrick began to seal the hole in Grunt's chest.

"I think that will be enough for today. Excuse me." As Grunt began to put his armor back on, Fredrick waited outside of the elevator, waiting excruciatingly long for the elevator to return to the second level. It took the young Krogan a much shorter amount of time to get suited up and catch up to the Terran than it did for Fredrick to leave the deck.

"Why are you staring at the door?" Grunt asked.

Sighing with annoyance, Fredrick answered, "It just so happens that you've been born into an era of 'great technological innovation' and lackluster elevator speeds. Of the things I'll have to ask Shepard to upgrade, it'll definitely be the godforsaken elevator." Getting on the elevator, Fredrick got off on the bridge and made his way into the armory. Entering, he made his way to the heavy weapons armament and pulled the heavy, gray crate that he received from Ivan earlier.

Drawing his attention, Jacob left his post and leaned over the man's shoulder to learn more about the crate's contents. "So Müller, what's in the box exactly?"

Keeping his gaze fixed to the lock, Fredrick responded, "On the original _Normandy_ , you've no doubt heard about the time we blew a Krogan cloning facility on Virmire into a giant crater. I and a division of Alliance marines barely made it out of there after a dropship full of heavy Geth got the drop on us. This time around, I opted to bring some heavier firepower." Opening the metal box, Fredrick drew from within an MG-15, three heavy battery clips to replace his stock of normal battery clips, and four additional coolant tubes to switch out between uses of the weapon. Not the most convenient weapon for this mission, but I'm not willing to wait for the Collectors to rain down their own surprises.

Taylor's eyes lit up like a robber's after cracking open a difficult safe. "Damn... You aren't really going to be carrying _that_ thing around?"

"Who says I can't?"

* * *

 **14 hrs/02 min/07 sec Local Time**

 **Horizon, Iera System, Shadow Sea**

The ride down to the silenced Human colony of Horizon was uncomfortably long for Fredrick and Linda. As the two who experienced the wrath of the Collectors first hand, neither of them felt particularly prepared for whatever the Collectors had prepared for them on the ground. For the fifteenth time, Fredrick checked the state of the MG-15 in his hands, making sure it still worked, wishing to avoid any mid-combat malfunctions. Opening up, Fredrick, Shepard, Garrus, Mordin, Miranda, and Grunt were greeted by the eerie outskirts of the colony. The empty crop fields, the empty sheds, and the occasional cloud of seeker swarms that would pass overhead further added to the "dead" air around them. In the distance, an enormous Collector ship, resembling the one that destroyed the _Persistence_ and nearly caught him off guard, loomed over the colony. "Christ, you think Alenko could've survived this?" Fredrick asked.

Suspiciously enough, Kaidan, now a Lieutenant-Commander, had been on the colony at the time trying to improve colonist-Alliance relations by installing automated missile defenses to protect the colonists from slavers. Unfortunately, based upon EDI's readings, the turrets were in a non-functional state. Shepard had to ask to reassure himself about the capability of the counter-measures against the seeker swarms. "Mordin, are you sure those armor upgrades will protect us from the seeker swarms?"

"Certainty impossible. But in limited numbers, should confuse them, make us invisible to swarms. In theory," Mordin answered hastily.

"Great. You've doomed us all," Fredrick groaned.

"Experimental tech. Only test is physical contact with seeker swarms. Looking forward towards seeing if we survive!" Mordin countered.

"Contact!" Miranda exclaimed as they approached what looked to be a loading site for crops. Overhead, half a dozen insectoid warriors flew in and landed in cover before firing upon their position. After a swift gunfight between both sides, the team progressed into a residential area, now with their coms to the _Normandy_ jammed and against a mix of Collectors and corrupted Humans. The synthesized corpses more swiftly shambled towards them than their former counterparts deployed by Nazara and were much more aggressive in close combat.

As a flanking husk clung onto him from behind, Fredrick elbowed the husk in the head, threw it on the ground in front of him, and blew the head clean off with a single shot from his heavy weapon. "Well, if it's one thing Harper did manage to get right is that the Collectors are just another subsidiary of the Harvesters." After moping up the next wave of Collectors, Fredrick attended to Miranda's wounds after she was shot by a Collector Assassin's particle weaponry as the others investigated one of the fallen husks. "Are you sure that Cerberus couldn't offer you a better suit of protection?"

"I don't need armor," Miranda gritted as she climbed back on her feet. "I know how to take care of myself, thank you very much."

"The fact you landed on your ass states otherwise." Upon closer glance at the husks, Fredrick noticed that not only were the monstrosities now slimmer for greater speed, but had beefier limbs for improved mobility and combat strength.

"Huh, so that's what they're doing to the colonists," Grunt said, poking a dead husk with the barrel of his shotgun.

"No, the husks were made by impaling corpses on these giant spikes. We haven't seen any around the colony yet. For all we know, the Collectors brought them here," Garrus countered.

As the team began to move on, Mordin hovered his omnitool over the husk and looked at the readings. "Interesting. All the same readings."

"You've encountered husks before?" Fredrick asked.

Nodding, Mording replied, "Time in STG occasionally spent on black sites, cleaning up compromised labs. A fate worse than death."

Fredrick simply nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **14 hrs/28 min/31 sec**

"Looks like a stasis field. Additionally, I'm picking up a neurotoxin in their systems. Looks like a laxative, nothing I've seen before." Fredrick approached a "frozen" couple with one person leaning over to help up another. The two were each surrounded by a gray mist and had faces of frozen panic.

"Looks like they've been like this for a while," Linda added. Checking the nearby buildings, they were filled with colonists yet to be put into stasis pods and put aboard the enormous

As they rounded the next corner, a dozen Collectors, working away at a warehouse door turned to greet them. Ducking though cover and reaching a forward position behind a stack of empty Collector stasis pods, one Collector warrior was lifted up into the air by an unseen force, as a deep, yellow light burst through cracks in his skin, all too familiarly. _**"I am assuming direct control,"**_ a booming voice announced, before a single round from Garrus' rifle tore right through the head, causing the creature to dissolve into ashes. As another dozen of Collectors descended upon their position, it became a matter of tearing down as many Collectors as possible before the overseeing entity controlling the Collectors took "direct control" of another warrior.

After clearing the path to a warehouse, Fredrick held back for a few seconds to stare at the ashes of a dead "commander" Collector. Whatever happened, it was essentially the same thing that happened to Saren during his final moments on the Citadel. A sinking feeling grew in him until Garrus walked up. "Spirits, what the hell was that thing?"

Moving along, Fredrick shrugged. "Just because I know some answers doesn't mean I know all of them." The warehouse was empty, holding little more than farming tools and mechanical supplies. The others' attention snapped to a far corner of the room, causing them to draw their weapons.

Stumbling out with his hands in the air, a single Human mechanic came into view. "You're... Human! What are you doing out here? You'll draw them to us!"

"In case you failed to notice, the Collectors were trying to make their way in. You wouldn't have lasted another fifteen minutes," Shepard informed.

"Those things are Collectors? You mean... they're _real_? I thought they were made up. Propaganda. To keep us in Alliance Space." It was this exact behavior that was causing Fredrick to silently grind his teeth. The same public denial of a rising threat followed by the same confusion and chaos followed, with people running around like headless chickens, unable to piece together so much as what is attacking them. The mechanic, Delan, had been previously working on the defense towers when the colony suddenly came under attack by the Collectors. "Dammit! It's the Alliance's fault! They stationed that Commander Alenko here and built those defense towers! They made us a target!"

Tromping forward, Fredrick jabbed his index finger in Delan's face before barking, "Listen, asshole. Human colonies across the whole fucking Terminus system have been evaporating like puddles of water on a sunny day. If you want to make up for turtling in here, the least you could do is direct us to the defense tower control matrix so we can blow those bastards to hell!"

"Alright! I heard you the first time!" Delan pulled up his omnitool and tapped madly to pull up a map. "The GUARDIAN laser defense towers are controlled by a transmitting station at the other side of the colony, you can't miss it. We could never properly calibrate the targeting system before those things attacked, not sure what the hell was wrong, things like that never take that long to set up."

"Better. Stay here until we get those towers up. Now if you'll be so kind as to open the door?" Fredrick said, pointing to the opposite side of the warehouse.

"Alright, but I'm locking the door behind you. I'm not taking any chances. Good luck out there."

* * *

 _ **"Your resistance is pointless. We are Harbin-"**_ The booming voice was cut off by the sound of it being ripped apart by Fredrick's MG.

"Christ, at least Nazara had the heart to remain silent most of the time," Fredrick growled. Making their way to one last door on the other side of the block and switched out batteries, Fredrick noticed the lack of frozen colonists by the door. "Dammit, the Collectors are cleaning house."

Fredrick was little more than exhausted as they were greeted by more husks and synthesized monstrosities as they approached the control systems. "Bring it on you motherless, maggot-munching, marrow-suckers! Let's get this finished!" Grunt bellowed as he charged head-first at a blue, pulsating husk, dodging its shockwave as he drew close.

Getting to work at the console, Garrus quickly reworked the targeting algorithms. "Joker! Come in! Do you read?"

 _Loud and clear, the signal's weak, but I can still hear you. I've been trying to raise you since you guys reached groundside,_ Jeff's unmistakable voice called.

"The defense towers here are offline. I've reworked the IFF, but I need to get power running to these heavy cannons. Can you get it from there?" Garrus continued.

 _It will take time to get the towers to full power. Additionally, I detect enemy reinforcements closing on your position. I suggest you take defensive position,_ EDI answered.

"Great. Well, I suppose given there are six of us that any approaching enemy forces can't be too difficult to manage," Fredrick commented.

* * *

 **16 hrs/13 min/36 sec**

 _"Me and my godforsaken big mouth,"_ Fredrick thought to himself as heavy particle beams caused what was left of his cover to disintegrate. Just as the number of incoming husks and Collectors seemed to be well in hand, a bulking insect-like creature which one could only assume was constructed from the remains of two dozen husks descended from the Collector ship. As the Alliance batteries finally engaged the Collector ship, they sent down a flying tank of a beast to forcefully wipe them out. Initiating a nanite shield, he leveled his gun with the creature and attempted to pierce its barriers as it rose from the ground again. _"Could this thing just fuck off already?"_ he continued as he ducked behind cover, retracted his nanite armor, and switched battery clips.

For the most part, the giant creature seemed to be focusing on him rather than any of the other five teammates, Shepard included. The fact he opted to switch his normal particle rifle out for a heavy weapon didn't make avoiding it much easier, as the MG-15 was the heaviest weapon in the entire Terran small-arms arsenal, and was subsequently reserved for heavy troopers or soldiers who devoted more implants towards strength. At least it was helpful that everyone else chipped at it finally fell to the ground dead, burning up in a display of blue-purple fire.

Violently, the ground shook as the engines on the Collectors' enormous ship reignited and thrusted the vessel back into space. "Ah, shit. There goes about half of the colony," Fredrick cursed as the dust settled, leaving everyone with the sight of the omnious ship leaving Horizon's atmosphere.

Delan, having caught up with the group, ran madly into the open crying out, "No! Don't let them get away!"

"That ship is huge! How are we supposed to catch something that size?" Shepard yelled back.

"Half the colony is in there! They got Sam, Egan, and... and Lilith! Do something, dammit!" Delan was increasingly desperate, but wasn't taking the time to interpret the bigger picture.

Fredrick ignored the yelling man and leaned over Mordin, attending the wounds he'd received earlier from an explosion. "Stand still, let me help you."

Putting a hand on her shoulder pad, Garrus reassured, "You did what you could, Shepard. More than most could anyways."

Delan turned and squinted at the N7 for a moment. "Shepard? Wait, I know that name. Yeah, I recognize you now. Some sort of big Alliance hero."

"Of course she is." Limping back out into the open, Kaidan Alenko joined the group as he walked up behind Delan. "Commander Shepard. Lion of Elysium. Captain of the _Normandy_. The first Human Specter. Savior of the Citadel. You're in the presence of a legend, Delan. And a ghost."

Delan simply crossed his arms and looked towards the ground, huffing in annoyance. "All the good people we lost, and you're still left behind. Figures. Fuck this. I've had it with you Alliance types," he spat as he turned and walked away to mope.

Fredrick simply turned his attention back to removing bits of fragmentation from Mordin's left leg. "How bad is it?"

Between grunts of pain, Mordin managed, "Been worse. Experienced plenty of injuries. Still alive, no?" The two shared a light chuckle.

Fredrick smiled behind his grim helmet, feeling a brief sense of relief until he overheard a bit of the conversation between Kaidan and Linda. "Why didn't you try to contact me? Why didn't you let me know you were still alive?"

"I was in a medically induced coma for two years. Besides, too much time had passed, I figured reopening old wounds would be a bad idea," Shepard explained.

Kaidan looked at the ground with a pause. "Yeah, I would've thought so to. But now recently I've been hearing reports that you're with Cerberus." In a moment, an argument erupted between Kaidan, Garrus, and Linda, as Linda tried to be negotiative when Kaidan just wasn't having any of it.

He simply turned his gaze back to Mordin. It was simply his job to make sure that the Salarian wasn't bleeding to death or wouldn't suffer an infected wound. It was simply an explosion from a piece of machinery, but Salarians aren't nearly as robustly built as any of the other species on the mission were. Besides, Mordin was an elderly man in his species' terms. He deser-

"-Anderson stonewalled me, but there were rumors that you weren't dead. That you were working with the enemy."

"Kaidan, you saw it for yourself. The Collectors have been out here abducting entire colonies, and the Alliance has turned their back on them. Cerberus is the only group who is proactively trying to stop them." Kaidan knew Linda too well, and was looking past her steady tone.

Back to Mordin. Just kill the noise and focus. Get Mordin back on his feet and get back on the move. Just kill the noise and focus. Kadian is another case, he can be dealt with later. Kill the noise and focus. What the public believe doesn't matter, what happens in reality does. Kill the noise...

"The Shepard I knew wouldn't betray everything she stood for."

Betrayal. Kill the noise. Betrayal. Focus and kill the noise. Betrayal. Get up and move along. Betrayal. Betrayal. Betrayal. The words and thoughts echoed in his head, causing something to snap. His fingers and muscles froze, and the nanites stopped working. He slowly rose to his feet as his mind continued to swim and thoughts like a severed limb preserved in a jar of nauseous fluid. Kill the noise. Mordin was fine now. Kill the noise. Deal with the problem. Kill the noise.

"I've got to report back to the Citadel. They can decide whether or not they believe-"

"Hey jackass." Kaidan was suddenly interrupted by Fredrick's mailed gauntlet, slamming across his face with near bone-shattering force, causing him to tumble over with pain and daze. His vision shifted, he saw dark spots swim in his vision, and was barely able to make out Fredrick closing in the distance and initiating his nanite shield. As his vision finally readjusted, Fredrick's hand wrapped around his neck and hoisted him into the air. Pinning the Alliance soldier against the wall, his vision continued to blur as the continuous pain around his neck and lack of air began to take its toll. "Is there shit in your ears as well as between them? Have you allowed yourself to become complacent with inaction to the point you yourself are now willing to fight the call of duty? Are you so blind you cannot see the writing on the wall?"

"Fuck! Müller! Stop it! Goddamit, just stop!" Linda screamed, shooting helplessly at the nanite coated Terran.

"Stew on that for a bit, Alenko. The Galaxy is in constant danger, and I won't let the ignorance of such individuals like you from letting it die repeatedly." Fredrick dropped Kaidan to the ground before giving a solid kick to the downed man's stomach. Dropping his nanite shield, he continued, "Now get the hell out of my sight before I add you to the list of missing colonists. Even then, that's considering I believe it's worth taking the time to disassemble your corpse."

Everyone simply stopped what they were doing to watch as Kaidan painfully stumbled away, almost frozen with fear. Coughing between painful steps, Kaidan yelled back, "I always knew you were a complete asshole, Wolf."

Without second hesitation, Fredrick's hand snapped to his side arm, leveled, and fired. Kaidan fell over again, clutching to his lower back in pain and crying out in agony. Walking back, he offered a hand to help up Mordin. Climbing to his feet and dusting himself off, the Salarian responded, "Entertaining display. However, must inquire. Was it necessary?"

To him, it didn't matter that they'd just lost half of another colony, it didn't matter that the Collectors now had another batch of Humans to do God-knows-what, and it certainly didn't matter he openly committed friendly fire. He had a name: Harbinger.

* * *

 _Foreseeable, yet unfortunate. Fredrick still maintained an entourage of associates that assisted in his survival. It was most certain that sending one Praetorian and an ample amount of drones to safeguard it along the way would be sufficient, but Fredrick is naturally capable of surviving to the extent of being very suspicious. Additionally, it had risked gaining an upper hand on Shepard and eliminating Fredrick, but only gave the opposition ample opportunity to gain tangible evidence of its recent movements._

 _This, however, wasn't the last opportunity it had. Fredrick would be traveling deeper into into criminal space, and would be more exposed to territory where its influence was greatest. The hybrid had also done very little to appeal to the locals, so perhaps the criminals would do the dirty work instead, and save the trouble. Still, it would be safe to propose a reward for Fredrick's capture or elimination._


	6. Chapter 6: Lifetime Wounds

(A/N): Hopefully, Fred is still acting in character, right? Also, I really wished I could make these more compact, but at the same time, I don't want to drag out my story over multiple chapters, and I most certainly don't want to skim over too many details. I'm already cutting off enough as is by trimming off cheesy fluff and extended scenes of gameplay with little dialogue.

Chapter 6: Lifetime Wounds

 _I know I acted out on Illium, but I damn well had my reasons. They weren't there, none of them were, they wouldn't have known about the shadow act behind the curtains anyways. What I had done then, what I have done since then is now nothing more than a long string of purged visual and audio files, lost to the digital void forever. All that remains are the scars I bear and my memories of the truth._

* * *

 **Aug 16, 2185**

 **19 hrs/41 min/13 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **armory**

Fredrick set the MG to rest on the shelf with the other heavy weapons, removing the battery and switching out the coolant gas tubes on the underside of the barrel in silence. Pausing for a brief moment, his gaze was fixated on the weapon, occasionally glancing at the droplets of Kaidan's blood. "Müller, we have to talk," Linda said behind him, like a mother about to chastise a child. Fredrick turned around to face the woman, only for the two to stare at each other silently for a few seconds. He mostly looked at her orange, fiery scars which had begun to fade since he'd first met up with her again. Looking at the ground and lightly shaking her head, Linda was the first to start. "You remember that time I said you will stay in line, or I will drop your ass off at the Citadel the next time we go there, right?"

It was her calm, commanding voice that worked on all but a very few. "And what exactly should I have done?" Fredrick said, returning the calm tone.

"I'll admit that the dying, suffering mercs is music to my ears, but what happened between you and Kaidan that caused this reaction?" Linda continued.

Fredrick paused before answering. "For someone who's completely admonished from all the accusations he directed at you, you did very little in terms of your own defense. Why did you just stand there, not even bothering to ret-"

"That's because Kaidan was being a dumbass and wasn't listening to a thing Garrus or I were saying about our current operation in the Terminus. He may have been more whiny than should be necessary, but beating him within an inch of his life then paralyzing him as he's limping away is not the way to bid farewell to former teammates, Müller. I thought you had better self-control than this," Shepard interrupted.

This was becoming increasingly irritating. "Why do you think lecturing me will change anything? What are you hoping to prove?"

Now a bit of anger was flaring in her own voice. "Don't you have a sense of diplomacy? Subtlety? Haven't you tried earning the respect and trust of others to complete the mission?"

"I have, and believe me when I say that brown-nosing has accomplished nothing but delays, setbacks, and wasted resources."

"So what happened to that calm disposition you had that first day on the Citadel? When we were rescuing Tali from Saren's goons? What the hell happened to you since then?"

"That was little more than a pathetic facade that has accomplished nothing. If you knew anything about my history, this _is_ who I am. This _is_ the me that the rest of the Galaxy recognizes. This _is_ the me that the rest of the Galaxy fears."

Though her tone was still calm, her face had shifted to a scowl. "I remember the day after I saw you on Elysium, and I did my research then. I hoped to God that they were lying, but then I saw the reports on Torfan. It doesn't matter what you say about the Hegemony or Batarians as a whole, you deserve the shit you get." She calmly strode out of armory, leaving nothing but dead air behind her.

Turning to look at Jacob, the soldier raised his hands besides his head, the soldier simply shook his head and walked backwards to the door, saying, "Hey, if you need some privacy, that's fine."

Shaking his head and walking past Taylor, Fredrick hastily responded, "No, that won't be necessary, I was just on my way back to the medbay."

* * *

 **Aug 18, 2185**

 **12 hrs/30 min/47 sec Local Time**

 **Illium, Tasale System, Crescent Nebula**

The _Normandy_ proceeded to dock with the beautiful, yet terrifying Asari planet of Illium. Despite its pristine outlook and resemblance to plenty of alien cities depicted in the old films, the planet internally was little more than corruption at its finest. Under the clean panels and the promise of safety provided by the Asari Republics, the planet was really no better than any other location throughout the Terminus Systems. "Illium, the jewel of the Terminus, the planet that continues to haunt me. If we got together with a game of cards and a few drinks, I could recall every last mission I've done here," Fredrick commented as he, Garrus, Linda, and Jack walked out onto the docking area.

"Then we'll make this quick so we don't linger too long." Linda turned her gaze to an Asari in business casual followed closely by two mercenaries in pitch black and decorative white shields and crossed spears painted onto the chest-plates. Silently walking up to the squad, the Asari greets, "Welcome to Nos Astra, commander. We've waived all docking and administration fees for your visit. My name is Careena, and I'll be pleased to answer any questions you have going forward."

Cautiously, Shepard asked, "May I ask who paid for my trip?" None of them liked the idea that their arrival was expected.

"The payment came from Liara T'soni. Her firm has bought up plenty of assets in Nos Astra over the last two years, and has since then founded her own protection group, known as the Spears of Athame. She also asked that I direct you to her at your convenience. Her building is near the trading floor." Fredrick found the Asari's calm disposition to be uncomfortably artificial. Illium was a pit of drugs, illegal tech, smuggled weapons, "indentured service," artifacts that are beyond legal jurisdiction, scammers, and the list went on. It at least brought Fredrick comfort knowing Linda felt the same way when she inquired about the key to Illium's prosperity.

"Anyways, I'm looking for a couple of individuals, know anyone who may keep tabs on people who come on and off of Illium?" Shepard asked, still reeling from the idea of legalized slavery.

"Illium does keep a list of ships, owners, and registration numbers here at the docks, but providing such information would be a violation of terms of privacy on their behalf. Liara's firm does keep a good eye on the city and the surrounding area. She might be able to provide you with some insight as to where to go." For fun, for every visit Fredrick paid to a port within the Terminus, he kept a running tally of the number of people he conversed with and was under no inclination to shoot. It was normal for the first person to fail that requisites substantially.

"Thank you. We'll be on our way," Shepard said, before the team continued on their way. Exiting customs, the view provided of the planet was open and beautiful. Overhead, interstates of skycars flew through the open sky, skyscrapers dotted the land in every direction. Turning to the right, the team made their way across the area and into the trading floor, making their way past various vendors to a building in the far back of the court yard. The main entrance had a half-dozen Spear of Athame troopers.

Walking forward, the team leader said, "Go ahead commander. Ms. T'soni instructed us to expect your arrival and let you in. She's in her office on the eleventh floor. The elevators are on either side of that back hallway, you can't miss it."

The team crammed in, rode the elevator up the building, and exited onto a much smaller, darker floor than the main lobby was. At the end of the elevator area was a small desk, with a monitor and a document bin. The Asari nodded and gestured to a door at the end of a hallway with additional conference rooms on either side. The team made their way to the door that opened up into a big, open office overlooking the trading floor. Liara was with a vid call on a projection on the window, tapping furiously at a datapad. The man on the other side became increasingly nervous, as Liara continued. Linda and Garrus were clearly taken aback more than Miranda and Fredrick was over her significantly more hostile tone. "Have you ever faced an Asari commando unit before? Few Humans have," Liara asked, ominously mirroring some of her mother's final words. "Don't underestimate me. I have much more pull than you anticipate. Do what I ask, or I will tear you limb from limb if it means getting what I want." Ending the call, she turned to see three of her former teammates enter her office. "Linda! Garrus! Fredrick! Nyxeris, hold my calls."

"Good to see you're doing well," Garrus complimented with astonishment.

"It pays the bills. My sources told me you were alive, Shepard. I was wondering if they were being given false intel... well, it's good to see you three again." Fredrick raised an eyebrow for a moment. She very well knew that Shepard was being resurrected, so why was she not disclosing that she knew of Linda's eventual return? Shepard probably would've been forgiving about the revelation, much more than he would've anyways. "And now you're back, and gunning for the Collectors," Liara finished as he reverted out of his internal thoughts.

Whatever Fredrick knew was off, Shepard hadn't caught wind of it yet. "If you know that, than you know I'd definitely like your help for the mission. Get back together with some of the old crew again? We've got Garrus, Fredrick, and eventually Tali."

Somberly, Liara answered, "I wish I could, Shepard. I've got plenty of matters I'm currently dealing with here on Illium that has locked up my schedule, maintaining my company, further equipping the Spears of Athame I've been constructing over the last couple of years, and making headway against the Shadow Broker. I know this is already a stretch of our friendship as is, but I do need someone with some hacking expertise, help me make additional headway against the Shadow Broker."

"I suppose it's fair. I was about to come in and ask about the locations of two more teammates I was planning on recruiting for the fight against the Collectors," Shepard returned with a sideways nod. After making the agreement, Linda travelled to another sector of the market. Meanwhile, Fredrick stayed at the trading floor, leaning over the balcony facing the direction of the gradually setting sun.

He leaned on the railing, sighing with discontent concerning the work he'd done over the course of a century. How could he possibly win this war if all the game pieces he was provided with had the collective intelligence of a poorly programmed VI? His head hung in disappointment and depression, staring at the lower levels of the trading marketplace down below. He simply stared into space, watching as each individual went about their lives like a child would watch ants scatter across a patch of barren Earth, when a familiar face caught his eye. Snapping his vision onto her amidst the crowd of various species, he recognized the shade of teal, he recognized those specific facial markings, and he recognized her distant traces of voice he could distinctly hear above the blurred mass of sounds: Samelthea T'zeros.

Leaning up, he got a better view of the Asari commando he thought he'd never find again. Now here she was, left the commando prospect, probably changed her name, her career, and decided to hide in what she'd easily find to be a utopia. He turned to leave for a brief moment to approach one of the vendors selling weapon parts. With a few quick taps of his omnitool, he purchased a small case with a medium-range scope to attach to his particle rifle. Slapping it back on and walking back over to the railing, he leaned over and scoped in, focusing right on T'zeros' head. It was too perfect. For so long, he thirsted for revenge. For too long, he put it off for the sake of concentrating on the Harvesters. No more. Her death was a small treat along the way. She was oblivious to his presence, and would have no fucking idea what hit he-

"There he is! Get him!" Fredrick suddenly snapped his head up to see a dozen Eclipse mercenaries patrolling the marketplace when they fixated their attention on him. As they opened fire, he rolled to the cover of one of the vendors before peaking out and returning fire. Shortly after the firefight began, the few Eclipse mercs that remained were flanked by a small detachment of Liara's troops. Fortunately, these guys were little more than amateurs, and were incapable of maintaining a long firefight with him. Unfortunately, by the time he rushed back to the railing, T'zeros was gone. His hungry eyes panned over and over again over the somewhat panicked crowd of people down below.

Linda walked up to him, glancing with some shock at the Eclipse corpses littering the marketplace floor. "Jesus, what happened here?" she asked concerned.

Shrugging and holstering his rifle, he simply answered, "Unfortunately, I've made plenty of enemies of the course of my career. Even if I remained incognito, the hand of my work is too well recognized. The strongest criminal organizations out here constantly have bounties for my head, and are always looking for opportunities to get the drop on me when I visit. Never mind them, what's next?"

"We're going after an Asari Justicar named Samara and a Drell assassin named Thane Krios, the former is at another district creating havoc at a commercial spaceport and the latter is at a complex called the Dantius Towers," Linda said, as they made their way out of the trading market down another corridor.

"A Justicar? Christ, what the hell was Harper thinking? She'd easily find justification to tear through half of the crew!" Fredrick returned with shock.

"They that bad?" she asked.

"Think of them as a cross between monks and knight errants. They are composed usually of Asari in their matriarch stages and often go about stopping injustice wherever they find it. They do abide only by a code of conduct, but the code they do abide by does heavily cover various forms of misdeeds one might commit."

"Sounds like a pussy," Jack commented.

Garrus casted a glance back as he asked, "Is there anything you wouldn't define as a 'pussy'?"

* * *

 **14 hrs/38 min/49 sec**

Over the lengthy journey to the police site where the Justicar was located, Fredrick's recent memory of Samelthea walking around in public carefree burned in his mind. While he would occasionally talk to some of the others during missions, usually about the environment or recent modifications they'd tacked onto their weapons, he was now absolutely silent. Sitting in the taxi, he simply fingered his ignited particle blade, making sure the blade still cut. As the four of them exited the taxi, Fredrick instantly recognized the location. Due to the lack of regulation on shipping and smuggling, various mercenary groups could waltz in and out with different bits of contraband without worrying about hassle from the cops. As a result, the Eclipse had set shop not too far from where the local police department office resided.

After talking to an especially antsy Volus trader, the team entered the police office nearby. The office was small, with only a few equipment lockers, desks, and a small door in the back of the room, with the detective sitting at a desk near door leading deeper into the department. Barely lifting here stare above her work, she greeted, "Nice guns. Try not to use them in my district. What can I do for you?"

Sitting in front of the desk, Shepard answered, "I'm looking for an Asari Justicar named Samara, and I heard she came through here recently. You know her?"

"Yeah, she's been giving me more than enough headaches today, so take whatever you want to settle with her somewhere else." The deep blue Asari detective looked exhausted, almost like she was about to land her face on the desk and fall asleep.

"I need her for a mission, then we'll be on our way."

"Justicars usually work alone, but they are easily drawn to impossible, but worthy causes. If you'll be getting her out of my district, I'd appreciate it if you did so ASAP. Orders are to detain her before she causes some sort of cross-species incident, but I've seen what she's doing to the Eclipse, but her Justicar code won't let me take her in and I'm not putting myself or my men in the crossfire. She's still at the crime scene and she's cleaning house," the detective answered, fingering through various notes on a datapad. "For all I know, she's there to get back at those who killed the merchant earlier. If you'll be going in there, I'll radio the others to through."

"What happened back there?" Garrus spoke up.

Leaning back and letting her head roll over he shoulders, the detective continued, "A Volus merchant was killed earlier this week. It was a professional hit, so junkies are out of consideration. For all I know, he's dirty and the local Eclipse band got at him."

"Right. Before I go in, I'd like some better context on what the Justicars are. Everyone seems to be fearful of Samara, and I want to know what we'll be dealing with when we get in there."

"They're somewhere along the lines of what you might call a 'warrior monk.' They live by a complex code that compels them to punish the wicked, protect the pure, and maintain their own purity. They target corruption wherever it may be, and Illium has no such shortage. They've been part of Asari culture for millennia, almost worshipped as legends among younger generations."

Getting up, Linda thanked the detective for her help and made her way out. Just outside of the office, the team made their way into a loading dock fenced off by holotape. For the most part, the main entrance had no sign of conflict until they rounded the next corner. Along with the scraps of LOKI mechs scattered about, three Asari in yellow uniform were in varying states of brutalized. One had her lower torso crushed, severing it from the upper torso while leaving her entrails to tumble out, a second had been decapitated and the body was leaning against a wall, and the third had been compacted into a ball of armor and purple blood. Exiting the next, another Eclipse merc was tossed across the room, making a loud bone crunch as she impacted the wall. Above, a single cornered Eclipse commander tried to threaten the approaching Justicar, only to be tossed herself onto the ground in-front of them, knocking over a pile of crates. Hovering down with her biotics, Samara strutted forward and put her boot on the neck of her downed adversary. "Last chance. What was the name of the ship she left on?" she demanded with a face frozen like a statue's.

Gasping for breath, the commander barked, "Go to hell."

For a moment, she appeared to have a flash of pity in her eyes. "Find peace in the embrace of the goddess," she returned before cranking her boot hard to the right, snapping the commander's neck. The part of four cautiously approached the Justicar as Samara turned her attention towards Shepard's squad. "My name is Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel is with the Eclipse mercenaries, but I see four well-armed people before me. Are we friend or foe?"

Linda was almost scared of the Justicar herself. "The name is Shepard. I'll go with friend, but are you going to be a problem? You killed that merc while she was downed and unarmed. Care to explain?"

Still maintaining her solemn face like the hull of a dreadnought, Samara answered, "I answer to a code that's clearly defined. Acting accordingly to the doctrine of the Code means I'm am just. I know it's not a simple matter, and that it's not necessarily just to everyone, but I sleep well at night. That's more than most can say," she said, briefly eyeing Fredrick. "Are you any different?"

Following her gaze, she answered, "Most of us try to avoid unnecessary casualties. Anyways, we're here to ask for your help in a mission against the Collectors."

Nodding, Samara responded, "I sense the truth in what you say and it humbles me. But I seek a dangerous fugitive, and I had her cornered here until the Eclipse sisters smuggled her off-world. I would like to find the name of her ship before the trail goes cold."

"I wish you could and leave with the Human, Justicar." The detective entered, followed by two other police officers with arms at the ready. "I've been ordered to take you in should you continue to refuse to leave."

"And you risk a great deal following your orders, detective. Lucky for you, the Code requires that I submit for a maximum of twenty-four hours."

"You know I can't let you out that soon."

"Relax, you two," Linda injected. "I can get the ship name and we'll be on our way long before the next sunrise. Just tell me where to start."

"I know that the merchant Pitne For is tied to all of this. The mercenaries were preparing to assault his shop on the platform when I intervened. Talk to him. He may know the way into the Eclipse base. Oh, and thank you, Shepard."

* * *

 **15 hrs/03 min/58 sec**

Pinte For was still waddling around the loading platform, waiting for the go-ahead to ship out. Shepard and the other three walked up to the Volus, prompting the trader to turn and greet, "Oh, *wheeze* you again. *wheeze* Has the issue been resolved?"

Linda simply shook her head and crossed her arms. "You lied to us. You're deeper into this mess than you let in on. We know the Eclipse were after you, and we want to know why."

Pinte simply shook his head in denial. "Listen, I was just *wheeze* shipping my products out to avoid whatever *wheeze* mess my partner had gotten into. I have no ide-"

Fredrick, sick of the Volus' bullshit, leveled the barrel of his rifle with the Volus' helmet. "Talk."

Screaming, and tumbling onto his back, Pitne yelled, "Alright! Alright! *wheeze* I had shipped them several containers of Red *wheeze* Sand and Minagen X3! It was meant to *wheeze* enhance biotic abilities, but it also has a side effect *wheeze* of abnormally accelerated heart rate!" His puny claws scrambled over the pouches on the outside of his suit, and tossed out a pass card onto the ground in front of the Terran. "There! They gave me a pass *wheeze* into their base so I could ship the goods! *wheeze* The elevator is right at the other side of the platform, *wheeze* you can't miss it! And be careful in there, each *wheeze* of the sisters have killed to earn their uniform!"

Calmly picking up the card and observing it, Fredrick glanced back and returned, "Thanks. That's all we asked for." Walking over to a nearby elevator, he swiped the card and watched as the door opened, he boasted, "See Shepard? I don't need to brown-nose everyone I meet to get what I want."

As the elevator doors opened, two LOKI drones started up, only to be torn in half by a concussion shot from Garrus. "Set them up and knock them down!" he cheered as he rounded the corner.

The team soon after leaving the elevator entered another loading dock with Eclipse firing at them from the other side. More interested in simply clearing the area, Fredrick often made short work of the mercenaries by simply biotically tossing them off the ledge or crushing them with a tossed shipping crate, saving ammo for vanguards and shielded enemies instead. Successfully clearing the area, they entered a small office meant for monitoring incoming and outgoing goods. Walking along, Fredrick heard a series of panicked cries coming from a storage closet, before turning to investigate. Opening the door, the voice ceased, but he could still see the telltale signs of someone hiding just right around the corner a ways into the closet, including a shadow and a dropped SMG where the hidden mercenary could pick it back up. As the others followed him in, he drew his rifle out, prompting, "Get out here, hands where I can see them."

Slowly standing up, the frightened Asari claimed, "Wait! I didn't even fire my weapon once! I pretended to because the other sisters were watching, but I didn't really shoot! I'm not one of them! I'm new! I thought being 'Elnora the mercenary' would be cool... but I didn't know what it would be like!" Quickly snapping up the SMG, Elnora's hands trembled as she tried to steady her aim.

Pathetic, and an even more pathetic excuse. Adjusting his sites to down the sights from the hip, Fredrick chuckled, "Heh, that's cute, but you won't be leaving that easily. You had plenty of opportunities to in life Elnora. And you chose to be on the wrong side of the fence."

"Müller, for the love of God, stand d-!"

"FUCK YO-!"

 **POW!** Elnora's body tumbled onto the floor with a charred hole where here eyes, nose, and upper jaw used to be. As rigor mortis gripped her body, Linda yelled, "For fuck's sake! She could've been telling the truth!"

"Pff. Fat chance."

* * *

 _"Well, it's official – little baby Elnora is finally a full-fledged Eclipse merc! I earned my uniform last night when I killed that ridiculous Volus. Up close, with explosive rounds. Blew the bastard's suit wide open. Hah! I can't wait to see some real action! Next time I go home, my friends are going to be so jealous!"_ The four of them listened to the audio journal, recorded by the same young Asari Fredrick blew a hole through earlier. Sarcastically gesturing as he picked up the datapad, he commented, "See? That little girl was in no right to leave that room outside of a body bag."

"It's no wonder you're still a soldier. You're just not fit for politics and justice." To be fair, the only thing that bothered Shepard by now was how young Elnora must've been in Asari terms. It somewhat reminded her of her own early life on Earth, and it prompted her to wonder how much further she actually would've made it against law enforcement with the mentality of Fredrick.

"Gunship! Get to cover!" Walking outside, clearing a few more LOKI mechs, the team crossed to the other side of the platform, only for an A-16 Mantis Gunship to rear its ugly hull from behind the balcony and open fire. Switching to the particle beam she collected off of the dead Collectors on Horizon, she slowly chipped off the gunship's shields as it hovered into the distance before charging right back over the platform to drop additional mechs. After creating another smoldering mess tumbling into the Illium sprawl below, they made their way into the next loading area, with more crates of the nauseous red chemical they've been wading through, hoping it wouldn't have any long-term health effects.

Picking up a datapad on top of the pile, she noted "Let's see, looks like a shipping manifest. Pitne For was shipping two thousand units of Minagen X3 to the Eclipse, and six hundred units of red sand," with a whistle.

"Good, evidence on Pitne For's dealings. Not what we're looking for, but it's bound to be useful," Fredrick added. "Wait, you here that?" In the next room, there was a dazed Volus wandering aimlessly until he blindly bumped into Linda's legs. Taking a few steps back, a blue biotic field ignited around his body, somewhat causing the Volus to float off the ground like a metal baloon.

"I am a biotic god! I think things *wheeze* and they happen! Fear me lesser creatures, for I am biotics made flesh! *wheeze*" The Volus was clearly on the verge of overdosing on Red Sand, and Fredrick was wondering how the man hadn't tumbled over from organ failure.

Smirking with amusement, Linda retorted, "You need help."

The Volus wasn't in his senses. " _You_ need help. *wheeze* You stand before the mightiest biotic ever! *wheeze* Yes, the Asari injected me with so much of the drug, it was terrifying. *wheeze* But then I began to smell my greatness. *wheeze* They may laugh when I fall over, but they are incapable of *wheeze* comprehending the power before them. *wheeze* Fear me!"

"Are you from Pitne For's trade group?" Shepard asked. Even if it was hilarious that he was floating about, he was a mess waiting to happen.

"Yes. *wheeze* When I was still mortal. He *wheeze* may believe me dead by now, but *wheeze* I have long since ascended beyond needing him. *wheeze* I will dispose of him *wheeze* like I will these mercenaries. *wheeze*." The Volus floated back to the ground before waddling down the next corridor.

"If you really feel like dealing with the junky, go ahead Shepard. Just know that he's little more than target practice in his current state," Fredrick said, jerking his head towards the Volus. Shepard proceeded to walk up behind and softly push the Volus over as he continued to rant.

"I- *wheeze* great winds! What happened? I- *wheeze* must rest. Can conquer later. *wheeze*" The Volus flopped his limbs helplessly in the air like a flipped turtle before coming to a rest.

"So much for godhood," Garrus chuckled. The final room was a storage area, with canisters of Pitne's drugs, and giant metal crates full of unknown contents, with a single Eclipse captain in back with purple armor, and similar skin tone with red dashes across her face. Starring sternly at a datapad, she paced about with a drink in her hand.

Putting the datapad down, she announced, "Everything has gone to hell since we smuggled that filthy creature off world. First a Justicar, now you." Turning her attention to the group, she effortlessly biotically lifted a barrel and tossed it at their position, dispersing a cloud of maroon. "At least I can take pleasure in turning your head into a _pulpy mass_!"

Rolling to cover and sealing his suit, Fredrick peaked from cover and shot a crane holding a massive metal crate, dropping it on a group of entering Eclipse soldiers, and cutting off additional reinforcements. Turning his gaze, he noticed too late as another canister of Minagen X3 came flying at him, shattering harmlessly on his shields. Tossing a stun out, he made his way out of the growing cloud of dust right at the desk she was firing from. Needless to say, the captain should've at least invested in a helmet. Picking up the datapad, he scrolled through the endless messages of coms between the captain and her underlings. "The AML _Demeter_. I've got the name. Is that everything."

Hissing in frustration, Linda turned away from a small monitor to ask, "I know this seems rather arbitrary, but do you this firewall for me? I'd like to have some additional funds to buy upgrades before we leave Illium."

Fredrick shook his head. "Shepard, you know using the Harvester software fucks my brain. I will not be putting myself in a coma just for some extra creds that Harper should've supplied us with."

With a roll of her eyes, she reminded, "I don't want to be caught with a bad hand like we did on Horizon. The sooner we can pack a bigger punch, the sooner we can get those bastards."

Fredrick sighed with defeat as he walked up. "Fine. But it damn well be worth it." He approached, closed his eyes, and felt the digital realm absorb his mind.

* * *

 _ **The Void**_

 _He never could, nor ever would get used to mentally interfacing. The pure silence, the flash of code before his eyes, and the constant wonder if he was still alive in reality made his head spin more than the inevitable system reboot. Getting to work, he was surprised that Linda couldn't work passed the simple coding. The protective algorithms the Eclipse used was literal child's play compared to what he'd dealt with. Dwelling further into the metadata, his got his hopes too high for the possibly outcome._

 _Three thousand credits._

 _Fuck._

* * *

Reeling to the floor, he was barely able to climb back to his feet. "Really Shepard? Three thousand?" He continued to kneel on the ground, waiting to subside as he was gradually greeted with an interesting surprise. Normally, the recovery could easily leave him vulnerable for up to a minute. Now it was merely fifteen seconds. Calmly, he rose to his feet before saying, "That was unnecessary. Now can we leave?"

* * *

 **15 hrs/38 min/16 sec**

"I never thought I'd see a Justicar swear an oath like that," the detective admired as she struggled to stay awake. Along with dropping off evidence of Pinte For's misdeeds and the death of his coworker, Shepard provided information on the _Demeter_. Samara proceeded to kneel before Linda and utter an oath of service before glowing in a white aura, which dissipated when she rose to her feet.

"If you _do_ force me to do something dishonorable, I may be forced to kill you," Samara reminded. If it was something Fredrick had to complement Samara with was once again her hardened, emotionless face, yielding little insight to her thoughts.

Shepard nodded. "I can see this is very a very important act. Thank you. So who is the fugitive anyways?"

"She is an Ardat-Yakshi, and is very dangerous?"

"What? She's gone! Dammit!" the detective cursed.

"I take it she's a bitch?" Jack asked.

"Well, in Human terms, Ardat-Yakshi are basically vampires. When they try to meld, they absorb the energy of those they meld with, frying the host's nervous system. If it doesn't leave them dead, they're close to it," the detective described. "I was working on a case before I was working with Pitne For's."

Samara continued, "Regardless, I'm looking forward to working with a cast of heroes. The Justicar life does get rather lonely."

"Well, thanks. I appreciate the assist getting Samara out of my district. Happy hunting out there."

* * *

 **16 hrs/00 hrs/44 sec**

 **En route to the Dantius Towers**

There was little rest between recruiting Samara and continuing towards picking up Thane Krios. The Drell had gone straight off to his target soon after arriving on Illium. His target was Nassana Dantius, a woman who they'd met two years prior who wanted them to kill her criminal sister for the sake of political gain. Currently, she was housed up in one of the two Dantius Towers, the other of which was still under construction. The hovercar driver, Seryna, was going over the details of the towers' defenses. "The towers are heavily guarded, and you'll find more resistance as you get closer to her penthouse. So, this assassin... you guys planning to stop him?"

"We're here to make sure he survives," Linda answered. Weaving through the traffic over the metropolis landscape, the hovercar turned around another skyscraper before coming into view of the two structures, isolated among the much shorter buildings surrounding it. The two buildings were interconnected by a single bridge on the upper level, one tower clearly a work-in-progress.

"There are the Dantius Towers. You'll have to make your way in through the unfinished tower if you want to get through the mass of her security forces and any sort of automated defenses. It'll be your best chance up. And before you ask, no, I won't fly us up to the top. She'd have heavies with rocket launchers positioned up there, they'd shoot us down long before we are half-way there." Approaching the landing pad at what looked to be a main entrance, the taxi opened up, leaving the team to exit. The taxi flew off as they approached the exit, where they could see a few Salarian workers in the distance. Their attention turned to something out of view before they began to run. As a few mechs came into view, the trio were gunned down before the mechs turned to them. Instinctively, Fredrick threw the squad of mechs down an unfinished part of the opening courtyard with a flick of his biotics.

To both sides of where they entered, there were just under a dozen Salarian workers lying dead in pools of green blood. Investigating some nearby salvage, Fredrick found one heavily bleeding Salarian lying against a door, painfully clutching his abdomen. The worker gasped as he cried, "Help me please..."

Fredrick got down and began to work on the Salarian's wounds. "Hang with me, you'll be alright. What the hell happened?"

Between grunts of pain, the Salarian replied, "Thank you. She sent mechs to round us up, but we didn't hear. They just started shooting..."

"Any idea why Nassana would attack her own construction workers?" Fredrick asked as he continued to seal the wounds.

"The mercs said there was no time. Nassana wanted us out of the way immediately. To her, we're expendable," the worker answered.

Helping the Salarian to his feet, Fredrick reassured, "You should be fine. We'll be heading up to Nassana's penthouse. Any recommendations as to how to get there?"

"The construction workers like myself use service elevators to get to levels between levels that haven't been fully constructed. Even then, many of the levels are riddled with holes, waiting for the inattentive to step through to their fates. The bridge, for the most part, is completed, but heavy drafts threaten to throw off anyone who hasn't maintained their balance. If that doesn't kill you, Eclipse mercs dot the towers. Be careful," the worker warned.

"Thanks. We'll be on our way." As the Salarian stumbled to safety, Garrus worked with his omnitool to unlock the door further into the construction site. The injured worker wasn't lying when he said that the towers were littered with Eclipse mercenaries. Mostly, they were composed of engineers, vanguards, and soldiers as to avoid damaging the structure with explosives or very heavy weaponry, with the occasional LOKI or FENRIS mechs. As they progressed, more Salarian workers held up inc locked closets and lifeless remains of a few mercenaries appeared throughout the complex, either with numerous fractures and lacerations, or with perfect headshots. "Thane's fast and clean," Fredrick commented as he approached the elevator to hail the lift. "Admirable work."

"I've got a feeling that elevator isn't empty," Linda said, getting behind a set of crates facing the elevator door.

Fredrick simply raised an eyebrow. "Really? Waiting for us on the lift? I find that rather unl- actually, I take that back. Two engineers and a Krogan." He checked the elevator with his advanced vision, only to end up eating his own words. "Right then, time to get to work. Garrus, see what you can do about any shields on that Krogan and I'll deal with that. The engineers shouldn't be too problematic otherwise." As the others took position behind conveniently placed pieces of cover, Fredrick waited by the door with a stun grenade in hand. The doors immediately opened, the three additional Eclipse forces entered, with Garrus and Fredrick attacking with an overload and the stun grenade respectively. As the mercenaries were distracted, Fredrick initiated his nanite shield, gunned down what was left of the shields with his side arm, drove his blade into a chink in the hip, cranked it, flipped the Krogan onto the floor, and finally pancaked the head with three solid blows with his fist.

With the two remaining engineers dead, he disengaged his nanite shield and strode onto the elevator car. Watching as the doors closed behind them, it was a quiet, swift ride up the tower until the doors opened to reveal an Eclipse commander. He was turned towards the window and didn't notice them depart the elevator. "Don't worry about it. We don't need any reinforcements, I'll take care of it," he told the person at the other side of the call. "It's under control. I'll go down there myself," he reprimanded as he ended the call.

Linda, leveling her pistol announced, "Turn around. Slowly."

Glancing over his shoulder, the commander simply cursed, "Dammit!"

Cutting to the chase, Shepard asked, "Have you seen the assassin?"

"The hell does it matter to you?" he returned, stepping backwards towards the window overlooking the other tower and the ground below.

"Talk, and I just might let you go on your way." Shepard hadn't noticed Fredrick holster his own weapon as her gaze fixed onto the commander.

"I've got nothing more to say to you. Even-" Fredrick stepped forward and grabbed the suit's collar and pulled him close.

"You aren't exactly being cooperative, so I'll be handing you off to an old friend of mine. Goes by the handlename 'Nine-Point-Eight-Meters-per-Second-Squared.' You know him?" Without second warning, Fredrick tossed the soldier through the window, watching as he clawed the air, tumbling to his death. "Say 'hi' for me."

Shepard was more annoyed by now than anything. Jack on the other hand was grinning with admiration. "Shit, I really should start taking notes from you."

Linda proceeded to speak her mind. "Müller, you're basically the living equivalent of the plot twist that kills people right before they can disclose anything important."

* * *

 **16 hrs/29 min/35 sec**

Nassana Dantius was watching the setting sun through the blinds on her office windows. She was becoming increasingly nervous as she lost radio contact with individual soldiers as well as hearing multiple reports of "Shepard" approaching her penthouse. Desperately, she'd been barking orders at teams throughout the towers to haul ass and gun the undead Specter down before she arrived. Hearing the door open, she turned around as she spat, "And here I was hoping that the rumors were false. You should be dead, Shepard. And now you're here to kill me."

As the mercenaries surrounding the former diplomate aimed their weapons, Shepard retorted, "To be fair, the troops at the tower entrance weren't exactly pausing to ask questions."

"Don't patronize me, Shepard," Nassana growled. "It's ironic enough that you've killed my sister, and now you've come to finish me off as well."

"I'm not here to kill you. I'm looking for some other individual who's trying to kill you." Fredrick was once again on the verge of capping another stranger, and was physically fighting the urge to do so.

Sharply turning around with bewilderment, Nassana continued, "Is that what you want me to believe? Why else would you decimate my security forces? Is it money that you want? Who's paying you? I can put down double!"

As Linda replied, Fredrick heard a distinct sound of someone crawling through the vents. _"Sloppy. Even more so on the mercs' behalf. They should've snapped on and riddled the ceiling with thermal rounds."_

"I heard something," one of the mercs said, as the group finally began to turn their attention to the echoing metal sounds surrounding the room.

 _"About time they noticed. I wonder how long they'll last."_ The scene was more entertaining than it was climactic. Silently, he watched as a single Drell clothed in black leather slipped from a vent in the ceiling, creating no sound as he landed on the floor. _"This is honestly cheesier than any horror flick I've watched within the last several decade combined."_ With one swift motion, Thane snapped the neck of one, crushed the thorax of another with a single punch, caught the dead merc's falling weapon, shot the last merc, then shot Nassana in the stomach before laying her to rest on her desk. He stifled a sadistic chuckle Dantius gave her last painful groans before going silent. _"No wonder I'm after the Harvesters. Everyone else is simply too dumb to actually be challenging."_

Linda approached Krios as he stood silently, appearing to be praying for the dead Asari. "I was wondering when you'd show up. I wanted to talk with you."

"The prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken." Thane didn't bother to lift his gaze above Nassana's corpse.

"Really? Does she deserve forgiveness?"

"Not for her sake. For my own," Thane corrected. "The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you or Müller for instance. This chaos... destruction. I wanted to see how invested you truly were in finding me, so here I am."

"So the Illusive Man contacted you as well?" Shepard asked. She was rather skeptical towards Thane's "mysterious" character.

"He didn't. I only knew when you burst through the front door and started shooting. Nassana had became paranoid, believing one of her sisters had sent assassins to kill her. Admittedly, you were a valuable distraction," he answered.

"Means to an end, huh?"

"I needed a distraction; you wanted to talk with me. We both got what we wanted. So what did you want to discuss?"

"If you haven't been filled in on the current situation, the Collectors have been abducting entire Human colonies. Have you heard of them?"

Turning to the window, Thane answered, "By reputation alone. Attacking the Collectors would require you to pass through the Omega 4 Relay, a feat which no one has succeeded prior."

"They said the same thing about Ilos and stopping Saren. Aren't we all still here?"

"You've become well renown for achieving the impossible, Shepard." Thane paused to take a deep breath. "This was meant to be my last job. Currently, I'm suffering from a chronic illness, and meant to achieve an honorable death. Making the universe brighter one last time is all I desire for my final days."

 _"Shit, I was being too insensitive,"_ she thought guiltily. "Anything we can do about it?"

"This opportunity will suffice. Many innocents have died today due to my lack of speed, and I must atone for it. It would be an honor to join your crew, Shepard. Free of charge."

* * *

 **16 hrs/30 min/33 sec**

"Miranda, this is Shepard. We've recruited the Justicar and the Assassin, get Grunt and come out to meet us, we'll be on the trading floor not too far from the docks. You can't miss it. I'll be sending back Jack, Thane, and Fredrick. Got it?" Linda ordered over the intercom.

 _Understood, Shepard. I appreciate this, thanks for taking the time,_ Miranda responded.

"You're part of my crew. Excuse me for a moment." Turning off the com channel, she angrily stomped towards Fredrick as he leaned over the market railing. She had enough of his shenanigans for today, and wasn't going to put up with him any more for the rest of the time they were on Illium. She didn't want to hear any excuses for why the hell he was unable to restrain himself, and allowed his impulses to boil over. Walking up to Thane, Garrus, Jack, and Fredrick, she ordered, "Garrus will stay here with me and wait for Miranda and Grunt. Jack, you will see to it that Fredrick and Thane make it back to the ship, and keep an eye on Fred's behavior. If he starts acting up again, toss his ass if you have to."

"Got it, boss-lady," Jack retorted, nervously glancing as she whipped out her shotgun.

Jabbing a finger on Fredrick's chest-plate, she growled, "We'll talk back on the ship. You won't be leaving until I say so. If you fail to do so, I will not hesitate to physically feed you to the masses who so badly want to tear you apart."

"Whatever." Fredrick quietly walked back to the docks with Samelthea's smug face flashing repeatedly between blinks of his eyes.

* * *

 **16 hrs/50 min/55 sec**

Fredrick and Thane walked into the briefing room as Fredrick gave the Drell assassin an overlook of the ship. Jacob had been waiting for them, as he leaned on the holotable. "I've heard impressive stories, Krios. Sounds like you'll be quiet an asset. That is if most of us will be comfortable with an assassin watching our back."

"Relax, we'll still need guys at the frontline, we won't be rendering any of us redundant any time soon. Besides, he won't be bought out under our noses, he's loyal to the cause. I can understand any moral objections you may have against hired guns, but Thane isn't on any payroll," Fredrick defended.

"No need to constantly defend me, Wolf. Where should I put my things? I'd prefer anywhere arid if possible," Thane spoke up.

EDI switched out the projection of the _Normandy_ for her own avatar before speaking. _"The area near the climate controls on the crew deck would be sufficient for your needs, albeit somewhat cramped."_

Thane glared at the blue ball in distasteful surprise. "An AI? Well, my thanks."

After showing Thane where to bunk, Fredrick shrugged in his chair at his place in the medbay. It had been stressful, especially with T'zeros on his mind again. Bringing up his HUD on his helmet, he grumbled in disappointment as the projection continued to report the lack of connection to the Terran neural hub. For the last few days now, he had no connection, and the time span had been much longer than the usual repair phrase. He opened his personal monitor to contact Nolan. As the call connected, Nolan asked, _Fredrick? What's wrong?_

"Something's wrong with my updated implants. I've been having trouble connecting to the central hub. Is this a common problem?" Fredrick returned.

 _Hub connection?_ Nolan was taken aback. _No, I haven't heard any reports of such yet. Are you sure you aren't simply out of range?_

"I'm on Illium right now. Shouldn't I be able to connect from here?" Fredrick was starting to become concerned with the issue.

 _Maybe. The system has been a bit weird ever since we switched off of the telecom buoys for service. You should probably check in the next opportunity you have. When's the next time you can come back?_ Nolan said, scratching his head as his fingers scrambled madly over the keyboard.

"That'll be a while. I could checkin in with the medical staff on the _Sokol_ the next time I go to the Citadel, but I don't have a guaranteed fix on when that will be," Fredrick answered as the monitor began to buzz with an incoming call. "Shit, I've got another call. Anyways, that's all I had to check in with."

 _Alright. Happy hunting out there,_ Nolan returned before the call ended.

Exiting out of the previous call, Fredrick was genuinely surprised to see Ashely's name on the user info. Accepting the call, he instantly asked, "Ashley? It's been a while, how've you been?"

The Alliance soldier gave him a wayward smile before returning, _Life has been normal for the most part. I wish we could keep up the effort on the Reapers though._

He gave a depressed sigh. "Likewise. These last couple of years have been a senseless race to prepare. What've you been doing for the last couple years? Bogged down by bureaucracy?"

Chuckling, Ashely replied, _Somewhat. After Shepard died, Kaidan and I were selected for Specter training. Needless to say, it is nowhere like the instantaneous graduation that she got back in 2183. Speaking of which, is it true she's really alive again?_

"She is. I know you'll probably object about being with Cerberus, but they managed to get their hands on her body first, and they put her back together again as well as a fake _Normandy_ to boot. I don't like any of Cerberus' long term goals or how they're officially funding our mission, but if it means at least stalling the Harvesters or digging up something that the council will be physically willing to look at and acknowledge, then I'll be happy with it. If not, then I'll probably drop the bomb on the rest of the galaxy till they're forced to acknowledge it."

 _Damn. These last two years have really been taxing to you, huh? I know that you are all stuck in a corner with those bastards, but it's good to know that she has you and Garrus with her._ Ashley's tone shifted from somewhat melancholy to nervous when she continued, _I got word about you two from Kaidan when he was brought back in to Huerta not too long ago from his posting on Horizon. He was beaten, had broken bones for days, and all sorts of nasty injuries, he was even left paralyzed. He's making a recover, but once he was well enough to speak, he said you did it. You brought him within an inch of his life and you paralyzed him. Was that true?_

Fredrick sighed as his head drooped off screen. He was afraid of something like this. "Ashley, just let him know I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I've been gradually losing sleep over these last years, and getting stonewalled by the council one last fucking time hasn't helped. I know I'm a mixed bag of personality, but one side has just been showing more strongly than the other recently. I hope you understand."

 _Things get the better of us eventually. Hey, keep in contact with me more often, okay? I want to hear what's going on. Maybe we could chat over a beer some time._

"Sure. That'd be great. I'll message you the time and date when I get the opportunity."


	7. Chapter 7: Restless

(A/N): The semester may have been a nightmare and a half, but at least there's the summer for more story (and a job). Also, about time I wrote a shorter chapter.

Chapter 7: Restless

 _The dreams are getting worse again. For a while, I was finally getting used to the prospect of fading to black then waking up the next day. It's much of the same, yet more agitated and aggressive. Hos is it possible one bad encounter couldn't have caused this much angst?_

* * *

 **Aug 19, 2185**

 **07 hrs/45 min/13 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay, en route to the Far Rim**

Though his bodily composure was otherwise calm, his eyes still glided open with unease. It was a new day, yet it was already going horrendously wrong. Still wrought with exhaustion, he pushed himself off the medical bed and rubbed the left side of his face. The night before had been a nightmare of various images. Instead of being something specific, like the usual besieged burning city that would occasionally readjust to certain experiences, it was rehashes of past experiences. It ended with the fight between Crimson and Cobalt on Illium long ago before Harvesters flashed into the atmosphere above, raining fiery death upon them before the world faded to white, ending the nightmare.

Getting dressed and getting breakfast, he landed himself right back on his footlocker and scrolled over the datapad, looking over the health and possible concerns of the away team. Thane had an unfortunate case of Kepral's Syndrome, where his lungs would gradually lose their ability to absorb air after some unspecified amount of exposure to moist environments. Drell had evolved in a dry environment, and were subsequently vulnerable in such habitats. Should he provide the Drell with implanted lungs to stem the progression of the disease, if not halt progression altogether? Would he even accept the offer?

He was genuinely surprised when Miranda cleared her throat to catch his attention. "Do I need to keep you in the ship when we're docked anywhere public in the Terminus?"

Grumbling, Fredrick replied, "It's just the merc groups. Trust me, they've got years of reason to hate me, so I don't think it should be any concern of yours."

"I'm talking about the safety of the crew. I don't want the rest of us to be torn in half just because you are along side," Miranda continued crossly.

"You'd honestly be in more danger if I were to stay on board as opposed to loose outside. They'd tear the ship apart and we only have one _Normandy_ at a time. Besides, it's nothing we can't handle. I'm pretty confident that every last bit of scum out there has at least one reason to hate any of us on this ship." Fredrick was becoming increasingly annoyed with Miranda's barrage of complaints as well as her misplaced trust in Jack Harper.

"You're missing the point of this conversation. You're becoming a liability."

"You're missing the point of my job on this ship. Without me, you would've long since bled to death on the prison ship Purgatory not ten days ago, and Shepard may not have made nearly as much headway into combat as she would've without me. Do not underestimate my value, Dr. Lawson; you're in grave danger of doing so. Now, I trust that is all you have to say, now you may go," Fredrick said, turning his attention back to the datapad.

That really stirred up Miranda. "I may not have been the one to make the call to put you on this ship in the first place, but I can easily be the one to make you leave!"

Without even looking, Fredrick lifted a small pack of medigel from the desk behind her and flung it at the door control panel, causing it to open up. "You. May. Go." Drawing his hand back, he biotically tossed her out the medbay before she could counter or respond. Fortunately, Dr. Chakwas was still having breakfast, so she wouldn't be getting on his case just yet.

* * *

"Well, no need to go spreading it around, but Freddy really had it out for me after you... well, you know. I get that he's just trying to get the Galaxy on their feet, but he's really letting it get to his head, and it's literally on the verge of crushing him. I dunno, maybe it's just me," Jeff said. Shepard was trying to get an alternative impression on the away team, and it seemed like every last one was some degree of messed up.

"Yeah, I get the same feeling. Anyways, I should let you get back to work," Linda responded.

"See you commander." She made her way back to the command center to continue her rounds. As per usual, she would check with Kelly for an update on the moral status, check with Mordin on what sort of upgrades were available, then head down to the crew deck to check with everyone else. She'd just helped Miranda with her "younger" sister Oriana, and she was grateful for her help, but it did raise some concern over what the rest of the crew would need for closure before heading off on the suicide mission.

Their next pickup would be Tali. She remembered meeting the Quarian and her squad earlier on the first colony, Freedom's Progress, she was sent to investigate before anything was salvaged or covered up. Tali was no longer the shy teenager from before, now replaced with a slightly more mature and up-front team leader. It would still be nice to at least have three of the old team onboard for the ride. Before she would do anything else though, she would have to confront Fredrick. She wasn't nearly as angry as she was last night, but she still wanted to better understand his behavior. She knew he had a more benevolent component to his personality, but was currently more prone towards displaying the malevolent component.

Walking into the medbay, Fredrick was at his usual spot on his footlocker on the datapad. Taking a sip from a glass of water, he looked up to greet, "Shepard, how may I help you?"

Sighing and crossing her arms, she started, "I don't know what the hell to do about you. As much as you are the Wolf everyone claims you are, I don't know how far we actually would've gone had I denied the offer to bring you along on the SR-1."

"I know. I had this same conversation with Miranda earlier. I know it might be some cause for concern for you, but I really don't think that it should be anything to worry about. I've had plenty of history out in the Terminus, especially places like Illium and Omega, and they know by now that I mean nothing but trouble for them. I know I should keep a limit to some actions on the Citadel, but the Harvesters already know we're onto them, and the Galaxy needs to know that we ourselves are up to something as well," Fredrick admitted.

"But what if everyone else sees you as a threat? You tossed Udina down a set of stairs and walked around soaked with merc blood in bright public. I may know that you know what you're doing, but not everyone else does. What if the Turian Hierarchy, Asari Republics, or Salarian Union sends someone after you because they are afraid?" His enemies with the Batarian Hegemony and various mercenary groups had been very eye-opening for Linda.

"They are afraid because they don't understand my intentions, that's all. I know your ideals clash with mine, but I still stand with my methods. I'm not going to change, simply put: I'm not a young man anymore, these sorts of things have a tendency to set in place. Sorry if you believed otherwise." He couldn't leave the _Normandy_ just yet. He still needed some tangible insight to the Harvesters movement.

"Just what happened to you between my death and me coming back? I get that the first _Normandy_ 's destruction hit everyone pretty hard, but I really want to know just what happened. Especially after you went full berserk on Illium." The sooner she could help him, the better.

"That's just it, Shepard. Some enemies I had made, it shouldn't concern you. I can do it on my own. Anyways, I should get back to work. Just let me know when you need me." Fredrick picked back up his datapad and continued his work dutifully.

"Yeah, about that, it's pretty clear you need some time to yourself before you continue in the field. I think I'll just leave you out of the next few missions to start with. I'll start bringing you back on the away team when your attitude starts showing signs of improvement or we're about to go up against something big. I can't have you threatening the team like this, now after what you did to Alenko on Horizon, and more than ever now that we're off to pick up Tali from behind Geth lines," Linda added. She turned to leave the medbay and exited without saying another word. His mental health was really starting to concern her. She'd become very good at interpreting even the tiniest hints Human actions could produce from her time working in the 10th Street Reds back on Earth, mostly from interrogations. Müller may have been acting tough, but she could clearly tell from the minor undertones that he just wasn't acting tough, he was begging for help. Something was at him internally, and it was affecting his decision making. It was now a matter of time when he'd actually open up about it.

* * *

 **12 hrs/18 min/54 sec Local Time**

 **Dholen System, Far rim, _Normandy_**

"It's good to see you again at least," Tali returned gleefully. "I wish many of my crew could be here." Tali had previously been leading a science team on Haestrom, studying why a sun within the system had been prematurely going supernova. Unfortunately, most of the marines and the scientists had been killed within the previous week after they were spotted by a Geth patrol.

Fredrick was checking over her health condition as they talked. "We all lose squad mates at one point or another, and even experience the occasional team-wipe. It was just a bad day, the Geth just happened to be there at the time."

"Thanks. How do you get by teammate deaths?" Tali asked in return.

"After giving condolences to the dead marine's family, it usually involves either sucking it up and moving along, more shooting as pseudo-vengeance, or heavy drinking. Fortunately, the SR-2 now comes with a bar, so you can drown yourself down here on the crew quarters. Maybe Shepard can show you by there at some point when you get the ship tour. You look otherwise healthy, so I say that you can afford to tax your liver for a bit," Fredrick replied.

"I see. So what have you and Garrus been up to for the last couple of years? I haven't heard from either of you."

"Garrus decided it would be a good idea to cleans Omega station of all crime, and I sat around doing nothing at a factory while keeping an eye on the progress they upgraded dreadnoughts so that they were not only capable of withstanding Harvester weaponry, but self sustaining enough to hold a population for several years. This means we also installed aquaponics labs, refrigeration rooms to store food, additional bunks to house civilians, and topped up the weapons, armor, barriers, and power core."

"Taking a page out of Quarian design?"

"If we are going up against the Harvesters head-first, we'll have to. What about you?"

"Going on recon missions, mostly. Also, I've been sending Geth parts back to my father for study. We acknowledge the Reaper threat and we want to know how connected the Geth are to the Reapers. If they still have the Geth as their thralls, they could still be a serious threat."

"The Quarians believe us? The fact they do and no one else really does is already problematic. Anyways, you should be fine. There are some dextro rations in the kitchen, I'm sure Gardener can have them prepared for you." Fredrick lifted his gaze out the window to see Garrus and Linda talking to each other. Based on the Turian's vitals, he was angered and excited whereas Shepard was nervous. He decided it wasn't essential as he turned back to his work. It wasn't much longer until she appeared in the medbay and walked up to him.

"Hey Müller, I might need your help on something. Garrus just got word that one of his team members named Sidonis, someone who sold them out to the other mercs on Omega, is located on the Citadel. He wants to put him down, but I'm starting to feel worried about him. I want him to feel happy, but at the same time I really hate seeing him be so aggressive like how he's been. What should I tell him?" she asked.

Fredrick wasn't sure himself. He hadn't noticed any significant change in Garrus' behavior, but probably due to how desensitized he was himself. However, he would regret letting Garrus tread this path. "Well, if it's one thing I would tell Garrus is to think twice before truly investing himself in something he'd regret later on in life. Killing someone is one thing, but to have their death hang painfully over your head is another. If you need a reference point, point to me or Wrex. The two of us could easily admit to plenty of horrible things. Maybe Zaeed if you can somehow get it out of him."

"Thanks. I suppose that's all I can do."

* * *

 **Aug 22, 2185**

 **10 hrs/04 min/29 sec**

 **Citadel Station**

It was shore leave, and the crew was out and about while Shepard helped deal with the chip on his shoulder. Before they landed, Fredrick had contacted Ashley about the estimated arrival, and the promise of a talk over a drink or two. He'd been told by Ashe to meet her at Flux, and that she'd reserved a booth overlooking the dance floor. Walking in, the pub had been surpisingly loud and crowded for as early as it was that day.

After a temporary pause, he noticed the Alliance soldier upstairs and made his way up. As he walked up to the table, he was surprised by Ashley's current appearance. Usually, he was used to her wearing the white and pink Phoenix armor that she'd worn since the days of the SR-1. She was currently wearing a Specter uniform, composing of black pants, simple boots, and a gray t-shirt with a Specter symbol sewn onto the right breast. "Hey, Fredrick. Nice to see you again, man. How've you been?"

Fredrick lightly smiled as he shook her hand. "Worked to the bone, yet at the same time left to dry. After helping with repairs on the Citadel, I was sent back home to command a station designated towards upgrading dreadnoughts for when shit finally hits the fan. The Collectors nearly got the drop on me on the way back too, but that wasn't nearly as significant."

Ashley's smile faded as she responded. "Shit, you've had it rough. After the _Normandy_ went down, Anderson put my and Kaidan's names forward for Specter training. Unlike how it was for Shepard, it's a slow and egregious process, with countless missions, additional history lessons, politics, weapons we didn't even know existed, and tech that I wouldn't even normally use in the Alliance. Speaking of Shepard, how's she been? Is it true that she's working for Cerberus?" she asked cautiously.

"Technically, we're working _with_ Cerberus, as they did provide the resources to bring her back from the dead. For two years, she'd been put in a medically induced coma, and put back together with implants and cloned bits if the files they gave me are correct." He didn't feel it was necessary to mention the inhibitor chip he found a few weeks back. "Right now, Cerberus has their sights set on another group of puppets working for the Harvesters known as the Collectors, an almost mythical race of insectoid creatures that have been jamming coms, paralyzing entire colonies with small semi-organic drones, and going in to stuff every man, woman, and child into a stasis pod to do God-knows-what to them. Probably to boil them down into some genetic soup if I know anything about the Harvesters."

"Shit. I wish I could go along with you guys, but Anderson assures me I'm needed here at the Specter academy. At least it's nice to know you have you, Garrus, and Tali along with her," Ashley said, as a waiter provided the two with beers.

Prying the bottle caps off the two, Fredrick handed Ashley's bottle back as he said, "It is, and we do need you and Kaidan here. Even if Linda did get her Specter status back, it's largely superficial. We'll still need a friend or two in the Specters, or at least close to the council so the rest of us aren't too distanced from the political theater."

"So why did you shoot Kaidan? I'm not accusing you of anything, bu-"

"Look, I know I may have overreacted, but he didn't really give Shepard much of a chance to explain herself either. And... and... I... I just don't know what's wrong with me lately," Fredrick admitted. "I mean, after our brief visit to an Asari-controlled planet out in the Terminus, it generally got worse, but overall I just have some itch somewhere that I can't explain."

"Enough of the doom and gloom, what matters is we're all still together. To the _Normandy_ ," Ashley said, raising her glass for a toast.

Smiling, Fredrick accepted the offer as he said, "Oorah." The two continued to chat about how life had progressed. After another bottle each, the two said their goodbyes and departed. Walking through the markets, Fredrick's mood had reached a high for once. His mood probably would have carried over to the rest of the mission against the Collectors had someone not called his name from behind him.

"Excuse me? Colonel Müller? Khalisah al-Jilani of Westerlund News," the reporter greeted, holding out a hand. Fredrick merely crossed his arms and stared at the woman. "I interviewed Commander Shepard two years ago? I recall that you were there for that interview, and she did hold her case very well."

"I also recall you barraged Shepard with a series of weighted questions. Are you going to do the same to me? Because I believe you don't have a very favorable opinion of me," Fredrick spat.

"Now now, we're on the same side. Shepard's back, and I had already interviewed her when she came through here over a week back. You and the rest of the _Normandy_ crew have been unavailable for some time, and the viewers want to compensate for two years of dead air," Jilani countered.

"Fine. Fire away."

With a few taps on her datapad, the camera drone behind her lit up and started recording. "What is your input now that it is publicly known that Commander Shepard now flies under the Cerberus flag? Do you really believe sh-"

"You claim we're on the same side when you are really interested in nothing but inflammatory topics to help bolster your viewer base. How do you explain that?" Fredrick shot, not even letting her finish her second question.

Shaking her head in disappointment, she returned, "Fair enough, maybe I'll shift my questions directly around you then. After Saren directed the Geth to attack the Citadel two years ago, it was publicly disclosed that you had previously trained the famous former Specter. How do you feel with the knowledge that your protege was a traitor? Do you understand what his motives were towards openly atta-"

"I've had enough of your bullshit." Walking forward, Fredrick unleashed a solid blow to the side of Khalisah's head, throwing her to the ground. It wasn't strong enough to crack or crush her skull, but hard enough to leave an impact. "Have some respect for the dead, bitch." Fredrick tromped off before she could properly say anything in return.

* * *

 **21 hrs/39 min/35 sec**

 **Citadel Station docks**

Miranda walked alone across the quiet docks. She was used to the long stretches of empty space whether it early in the day or late at night, but she was more the intermediary rather than the initiator. After talking with Shepard and a few other crew members, they agreed that Fredrick was becoming an increasing concern. While he was know to have publicly committed crimes of passion, the cases were becoming more frequent and worse. She'd contacted one of his former teammates, Ivan Sokolov, for some help on the matter. In return, Ivan agreed to give whatever would help, as he did bear some concerns of his own.

Continuing, she agreed to meet at the Terran _Sokol_ to retrieve another package to keep an eye on Fredrick. Not too far down from the enormous Terran ship, Ivan's unmistakable chrome and yellow armor shone in the darkness. "Dr. Lawson I presume?" his thick accent asked.

"You are correct. I'm confident that he hasn't followed me until this point. I can radio the _Normandy_ to confirm," Miranda answered.

"No need, we've also got Mary in the rafters, she just confirmed you're alone. Nolan, Lauren, and Henry are here too, all on leave to see this gets done," Ivan answered as the three additional teammates decloaked from where they stood. Nolan walked forward with a small medical case to hand off to her, not too different from the medical case that Fredrick provided the nanite glands with.

"I greatly appreciate your cooperation. What do I owe you in return?"

"Nothing, just see to it that Fredrick stays safe. We may no longer be teammates, but his wellbeing and mental health still concern us, and his recent behavior is not a friendly sign of change. And be careful yourself, he's not one to hesitate carrying out what he sees is necessary," Ivan warned as he and the other three turned to return to the _Sokol_.

* * *

 **Aug 23, 2185**

 **08 hrs/53 min/39 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay**

"Remind me, where did the two of you go last night?" Fredrick asked.

Once again, Zaeed explained he felt obligated to take Grunt to Chora's Den, buy the young Krogan a ryncol or two, and generally get the kid used to adult life. Grunt, due to his inexperience had created a bigger ruckus than was intended. While Grunt was easily capable of withstanding the damage he took, Zaeed was roughed up from the ensuing bar fight. "C'mon, I thought this would be an opportunity! Show the kid how the world works, y'know?"

"Yeah, but I thought you'd be more inclined to let Shepard handle that," Fredrick returned as he turned his attention away from prying glass out of Grunt's poorly healed wounds.

"Well, I had a kid once, his name's Bain. Well, having a kid, even if you're barely attached to him really changes you," Zaeed started, avoiding eye contact. "I didn't really try then. He doesn't know me, and I barely know him now. I just saw an opportunity in Grunt for some father-son time."

"Oh great, already cutting back into Grunt again?" The three turned to see Shepard enter the medbay. After the night before, she'd spent a longer time rising from bed than she usually did. "Zaeed, Fredrick, you two will be with me and Jack on our next objective. The Illusive Man just gave me the coordinates of a disabled Collector ship, heavily damaged by a Turian patrol. He wants us to go in and see what we can pull up that might help us get through the Omega-4 relay. And Fredrick, don't bring the MG this time, I can't help but suspect something's off about this mission, and I want to be out in and out before they get a chance at us."

* * *

 _Yes, they were drawing close. He was still protected but he would be deep within enemy territory with little additional reinforcements to help him. If not Shepard, then his demise would still stand as a victory._


	8. Chapter 8: At the Enemy's Gates

(A/N): I've been stalling on this one primarily due to finals. I'll be wrapping up soon.

Chapter 8: At the Enemy's Gates

 _Here I stand at their footsteps. Running around in a panic, narrowly dancing with the devil again. I suppose the information we retrieved was vital and couldn't be obtained any other way, but it most certainly does give me better insight to Harper's mental directive. He puts way too much faith in the size of his investments to consider a tactical approach. Not that I would feel any pity about his downfall._

* * *

 **Aug 24, 2185**

 **13 hrs/22 min/44 sec**

 ** _Normandy_ loading bay, deep in Terminus Space**

Fredrick looked at the ghost of the looming ship as the _Normandy_ creeped by what remained of a Turian frigate. The Collector ship was just short of the size of a Harvester, resembled a metal tube with thrusters on one end and giant slabs of rock for plated protection. It was massive, and almost unsettling to see it lay dormant. Given the lack of any external damage, it became quickly apparent that not everything was as it appeared. He'd noticed that Shepard had been taking him on fewer missions due to everyone else' dwindling trust in him. The crew generally felt more endangered than safe when they were in the same squad, and that Linda felt that he could still carry out his role by staying in the medbay back in the _Normandy_. Additionally, Shepard herself felt that if so many factions wanted him dead, then it would be safer just to keep him onboard than it would be to bring him around and get the others caught in the crossfire. It was at least nice to get back out again, even if it was digging into enemy territory.

He turned to walk down to the loading bay to get onto the team shuttle and board the Collector vessel. Down there to meet him was Linda, Jack, Mordin, Grunt, and Zaeed. As he entered the shuttle and took his place on one of the available seats, he overhead the chatter between the others. "So why isn't your Turian boyfriend along?"

"Needed some rest after the other day. Had a bit of a moral dilemma and is still trying to work it out. Anyways, are you guys sure you wouldn't need any fully-protective armor? We don't have an idea what the environment is like in there," Shepard returned to the biotic convict.

"Think of it this way, commander," Zaeed started as the shuttle doors closed. "Grunt and I damn-well know well that arm protection will only slow us down, and Jack's made it clear she won't wear Cerberus armor unless you skull-fucked her into mental oblivion," he continued as he put on his own helmet, clicking it into place.

"Yeah, but a respirator hardly counts as hazardous-environmental protection," Fredrick butted it, pointing at a small translucent mask and air tank that Jack had strapped to her belt.

"Then you should probably take the twenty-pound reactive armor off more frequently, old man. I _hear_ it's bad for your health," Jack quipped sarcastically.

"In your dreams." The shuttle hummed its way into the side of the vessel, before coming to a rest inside of a small garage-sized hole in the side of the ship, granting access to a few branching pathways. The team unloaded from the shuttle and made their way to the first door. "Interesting ship. Almost like a beehive," he added as he drew his rifle. The inside of the ship had the same rocky consistency of the armor panels of the ship exterior. Some of the walls would occasionally show some hexagonal weave while other patches just seemed irregular, like the interior of a cave.

 _Penetrating scans have detected an access node to uplink with Collector databases. Updating your HUDs to guide you to the objective,_ EDI chimed on their intercom. _Additionally, I have compared the vessel's EM profile to that of other Collector sightings. This is the same vessel that was encountered on Horizon._

"Maybe the AA towers helped to soften the Collectors up for the Turians. Maybe the missing Humans are here as well. Unless they're dead," Grunt added.

"No," Fredrick injected. "This is clearly a trap. Given the Collectors are connected to the Harvesters, the tech they've been presented with and are capable of utilizing wouldn't allow something of a Turian caliber to level them out so easily. Fingers on your triggers and heads on a swivel, they could come crawling out of the walls any second now."

"So they let themselves get crippled?" Zaeed inquired.

"I'm not saying that they've been crippled at all. For all we know, they just found the remains of a Turian vessel long lost after a pirate raid, parked along side, and put out the distress signal themselves. This is too easy, and I know the Harvesters well enough that they won't leave any loose ends in the open unless they _want_ them to be found."

"You're just paranoid, old man," Jack threw out.

"Maybe. Or maybe I've got a genuine reason to worry about these guys. I've gotten on the Harvesters case multiple times now, and I've got plenty of reason to suspect they've painted a target on my back as well."

The team approached a small pile of empty cryo pods with a stream of steam rising from the opening like mist from an open casket. "The pods from Horizon," Grunt noted.

"Stuck in those cages, with only the ease of constant sleep to put the pain off your mind," Fredrick continued. Not much further down the winding tunnel was a pile of decaying corpses, with clothes dirtied and coated with blood, armor that ceased to function and would occasionally flicker, and hair that stuck to their rotting faces with grease. "Fucking hell, the hell are the Harvesters up to if they're just going to leave the corpses around like this?"

"Maybe they were a control group. Tossed aside for disposal," Zaeed answered.

"I doubt it. The would at least used them for more husks," Shepard added. "Still, it's a horrid fate to be used as lab rats for these bastards. Let's keep going, there's nothing we can do for them." Up ahead was probably the most industrialized part of their adventure so far into the Collector ship, almost resembling a medical wing. Walking up to a monitor, Linda tapped a few keys on her omnitool before she turned her attention to a dead Collector on the operation table. "EDI, I'm uploading data from a terminal. See if you can find out what they're doing here."

 _Data received, analyzing._ After a brief pause, EDI answered, _The Collectors were running baseline genetic comparisons between their own genetics and that of Humans. While I'm unable to draw any correlations concerning their intentions, the findings are still quite remarkable. The Collector genetic makeup composes of a quad-structure, identical to that found in ancient ruins. Only one race remotely resembles this trait: the Protheans._

Fredrick was struck dead silent for a moment; the revelation did not sit well with him. For the longest time, it was believed that the Protheans, like every race before them, had been scooped up, condensed into synthetic goop, and built into more Harvesters. Now it was made apparent that the Harvesters had a different intentions for the Protheans, possibly seeing some unusual plasticity allowing for future modifications. As such, they were now used as labor for future harvests, with an infinite number of possible combinations to counter whatever resistance they may find. Even if they stopped the Collectors, would this be the same fate held for the likes of him should they fail? Left in an eternal hell of serving the enemy?

 _These are not Protheans, Shepard. I detect multiple locations among the DNA structure that have been heavily modified to remove "junk" sequences. What remains is probably the structure of their body and nothing more. In short, they are nothing but biological weapons._

"This doesn't change our mission. They're working for the Reapers and we have to stop them," Shepard pointed out.

 _Hey Shepard. Just on a hunch, I had EDI run an analysis on the ship. Based on the EM signature, this is the same ship that took out the original_ Normandy _,_ Joker added.

Now the mission was excessively uncomfortable for Fredrick. He fell sickeningly silent as they continued through corridors full of empty cryo pods. He wasn't safe here. He shouldn't have come.

The team entered the center chamber of the ship. The area was massive, with what looked to be a mile in diameter from where they stood. Fredrick looked at the ceiling with absolute dismay. "The hell? They couldn't fill these with the Terminus populace. Are they gunning for Earth?"

"Not if we stop them. Let's go, the data node isn't too far from here." The team made their way across the coarse interior to a small set of platforms with a highlighted green monitor.

"It's too obvious. We should just make the connection and start our way back." Fredrick was rarely nervous in the field, and the others took notice.

"A few bugs won't take you down, mate. Relax," Zaeed chastised.

"Well at least stay off the platform, I don't like how the hexagonal panels are segregated from the floor underneath it," Fredrick said, standing beside group rather than with them on the panel.

"EDI, I'm pulling up a bridge between you and the data node. See what you can pull up," Linda ordered as she reached her omnitool out to the monitor.

His eyes now darted back and forth. Where would they come from? They were in a pit, with little cover from areas above. He started to hear skittering, like running footsteps. He leveled his rifle and turned to look around. As he initiated his enhanced vision, he noticed a small squad of Collectors before they went out of his detection range. He jumped as the pumps surrounding the platform started to gush steam.

 _Major power surge. Everything went dark, but we're back up now. What's going on over there, commander?_ Joker asked uneasily.

"Shepard, we've got to go now. I've got hostile movement on my scope, but we might have enough time to-" while his gaze was fixed on the interior horizon, the panel sharply lifted up from the ground, leaving him isolated. "Sonuvabitch! Commander!" rushing back and leaping onto the ledge overlooking the area, he was too late to try and leap onto the platform. Sharply looking around for alternate options, his peripheral vision noticed another platform with a squad of Collectors on it lift up into the air. Dashing across the rocky landscape, he lept into the air and clung onto the side of the platform, desperately clinging as the motion threatened to toss him onto the ground below.

Getting a foothold, he climbed on, and got to work as he drilled a few holes into a Collector support troop before he could get a shield up. Charging, he managed to knock two more off before the forth lifted up in the air in an aura of golden light. _**"I am assuming direct control of this form,"**_ the monstrosity announced as cracks formed along the Collector's skin. The hairs on the back of his neck raised as Harbinger spawned in so close to him. Initiating his nanite shield, he lept up and grabbed the Collector before dragging him back down and repeatedly pounding the creature's head with the butt of his rifle. As it finally disintegrated into dust, the platform clicked into place, and Fredrick found himself on a floating island, with Collectors firmly fighting between him and the rest of the team.

As he tossed the remainders down below, he rushed over and took cover as a shockwave narrowly grazed him. "Just to get it out of the way now, I called it."

"Can it and help me out, doc!" Jack retorted angrily as she painfully clutched her side.

"EDI! Hurry it up!" Shepard commanded.

 _I'm still fighting with an additional entity within the system. Please hold out until I can remove the current virus from my systems,_ the AI returned.

Joker wasn't too excited about this news. _Make it fast EDI, the ship is coming back online, and I'm not losing another_ Normandy _._

Fredrick groaned desperately. "We're out of options here. Keep me covered!" He rose to his feet, ran quickly back to the initial monitor they investigated.

Linda's command vaporized in the distance. "Dammit, Müller! Get back here! Weupogkuehbl…" Her voice quickly became distorted before she and everyone else at his side faded into darkness.

* * *

 _He could see it. Well, "feel" it would be more appropriate. While he'd done this sort of thing before, interfacing with a network to deal with a virus always felt strange. It wasn't exactly a sixth sense in the more traditional manner, but it gave a feeling he couldn't properly describe. There was the presence of some action, but there weren't exactly any words that could properly describe it. But, so long as he knew how to work the tools, there was no need to properly learn the fundamental functions, right?_

 _He could feel the entity that was EDI's presence in the system and could see the entity active within the system acting on EDI in self defense. At this point, it was really simple: tear the externality off of EDI and give *her* enough of an opportunity to better access the data stores. He latched on and tore it off._

 _"Fredrick."_

 _He could almost hear a voice in the distance. Who was that? Was the Shepard trying to chew his ass out back in reality? Normally the process was very fast compared to the pace real time continued at. He ignored it and decided to drag the external entity away to an isolated location._

 _"Hear me, Fredrick."_

 _Something was there. It was with him. This would be a safe spot to dispose of the Collectors' defensive measures. Suddenly, it became aggressive and latched onto him, refusing to let go._

 _"You still think you can resist us, Fredrick?"_

 _His mind was suddenly flooded with the red fiery image of another Harvester model. This one still carried the default appearance of a squid-like creature, but it had no middle appendage like Nazara did, and had six distinct locations on its hull that most resembled "eyes."_

 _"Give up now. I promise to show mercy."_

 _Disconnect. Why was he stuck here, EDI has got to have accessed the data by now. Please, disconnect. He was now fighting with a representation of Harbinger the size of a large dog, trying to pounce on him, each of its tendrils locking on and seeping a neurotoxin into his form. Disconnect. He wanted out, he wanted to escape._

 _Disconnect._

* * *

His eyes shot open, but his eyes didn't respond, leaving nothing but a static haze, as did none of his other senses. Similarly, his muscles felt weakened and exhausted, causing him to helplessly crumple to the ground. A fiery pain erupted around his body, and he blindly struggled to dampen whatever injury he might've incurred. He groaned with dismay, but the outer world gave no yield to his state.

How much time had passed? His answer was quickly answered as his eyes and ears began to resynchronize, revealing the image of Zaeed leaning him against some cover. The platform was on the move again, and they were lowering to the ground. "Shit, you alright, Wolf? Whatever you did, it got us out of this mess."

He took a few gasps before speaking. "What- what happened?"

"A couple seconds after connecting, EDI managed to start lowering us to the ground, followed by you falling over in pain. At least you were right. It was a trap," Zaeed answered, now that the platform had landed on the ground again with a stuttering halt.

As he rose to his feet, he asked, "Oh was it now?"

 _The Turian frequency lacked the secondary wavelength that Turian communication frequencies normally have,_ EDI explained.

"Oh, and your buddy the Illusive Man knew about this," Grunt added as they began to dash down an exit tunnel.

"He's not my friend, just some loser I met at the end of the First Contact War. I don't know how or why people are working for him, but the man sure does know how to work rhetoric to his favor."

"We can talk about it later, guys. The ship is powering up and we don't have much time before they tear us in half. Let's go!" The mad rush through the Collector ship wasn't an easy feat. Along with squad after squad and mobs upon mobs of Husks, there was plenty in their way besides locked doors and confusing corridors. What caused Fredrick's panic to raise to an all-time high was when another one of the flying husk-tanks came into view of a large chamber.

After what seemed to be like an eternity, the team came into view of one of the initial paths leading from the shuttle. _Uh, commander? I hate to rush you, but those weapons are about to come online. Might want to double-time it be-_

"Cool it! We're almost back to the shuttle! We'll discuss that when we get there!" Fredrick barked. Considering that Jeff was the main reason Shepard died in the first place, hearing his voice as the voice of encouragement for escape didn't ease his nervousness. Getting onto the shuttle, returning to the loading by, and making his way up to the bridge, Fredrick watched as they pulled away from the now alive Collector ship, followed by the view of the Collector ship's particle beam lighting up the empty void above them.

"Okay EDI. Now would be a good time to get us out of here," Jeff said, wrestling with the controls.

"Please specify a location, Mr. Moreau," EDI calmly asked.

"Anywhere that isn't here!" he screamed in return.

"Very well. Initiating drive core," EDI said before launching the ship out of the system to safety.

* * *

 **16 hrs/03 min/04 sec**

 ** _Normandy_ briefing room**

Needless to say, the whole crew was divided on the mission to the "crippled" Collector ship, even the most loyal of crew members like Miranda. While others like Mordin did say the mission was necessary, they did admit that some greater caution was needed. When Linda had brought up the aforementioned knowledge that the Collectors had laid a trap for them, his only excuse was that he was rushing the mission's progress, as "every minute they waited gave the enemy another day to prepare."

Regardless, the information they retrieved was invaluable, as it did provide some insight to how the Collectors safely transversed the Omega-4 Relay and where their home world was located. "The data indicates that the Collectors use a very sophisticated IFF that grants them safe passage through the relay. I predict that at the other end of the relay is either some sort of security measure that disposes of ships who don't have a familiar IFF or various hazards that the relay would've allowed them to otherwise surpass. Additionally, from the flight records I was able to copy from, I have calculated the location of the Collector home world."

All eyes fixated on the projected image of the galaxy map as an indicator hovered through the swirling mass of stars before halting over a very improbable location: the galaxy core. "That can't be right," Miranda started with a glare.

"Nothing there," Mordin followed up. "Little more than exploding stars and black holes. Impossible to find inhabitants."

"Keep in mind that the Collectors have been given tech by the Harvesters, and they are already quite capable of remarkable technological wonders. They've managed to make a self-sufficient mass acceleration transportation system, who says the Harvester are incapable of establishing a stronghold surrounded by black holes? It's the perfect catalyst for a race of isolated agents, away from the prying eyes of the public," Fredrick injected. "Shepard, where did you say Harper had a usable IFF that we could pick up?"

"A dead Reaper in the Caleston Rift. He's had a science team there for the last few months, and there's been little more than radio silence coming out of the lab," Shepard answered. "I know it's the opportunity we need, but we can't afford to walk into another trap, not like how we did on the Collector Ship. If we'll be carrying out this suicide mission, I need to know that we are physically and mentally ready for this. The Reapers are capable of brainwashing those of weakened mental status and I need moral to be strong. Until we properly upgrade the Normandy and finish whatever bucket lists we have, I suggest we put this next mission on the shelf. Dismissed," Shepard finished.

Fredrick sighed as he exited the briefing room. Maybe he should've joined Cerberus when Jack initially proposed the idea back in 2157. Make it some sort of partner-run operation. While Harper was very influential and able to manage resources, he still needed Fredrick's tactical mind to guide the flow of what resources were contributed to. He calmly returned to the medbay and sat right down on his footlocker. He was exhausted and still shaken by the mission to the Collector Ship. What was it that frightened him so much? The fact he set foot on the vessel that killed Shepard and almost himself? Or was it the face-to-face encounter with the leader of yet another race he had angered into wanting him dead? Either way, he needed to start writing a physical list of groups and individuals who were out for him. Lost in his own thought, he just noticed Thane, the Drell assassin approach him. "Anything I can help you with, Krios?" He couldn't help but feel somewhat sympathetic for the assassin as he took deep, but lightly audible breaths as he walked about the Normandy.

"I recognize that you're feeling somewhat distressed. Would you like to talk?" Thane returned.

Fredrick was appreciative, but he didn't exactly have the time to pause and lick his own wounds. "The Collectors were nothing I couldn't handle. Challenging, but nothing I haven't faced before."

"For the reputation you have, the mission report mentioned a few troubles you had experienced in the field. Further discussion with the Krogan Grunt had helped to better understand your behavior at the time. Is there something you'd prefer to have hidden?" Thane pressed.

He had no problem admitting that Than was an intelligent man, but now it was becoming increasingly annoying. "Is there any reason you're digging into my life? Because there shouldn't be. I don't know what the hell you're up to, but I'd like it if you stopped. I need a promise of leverage against the Harvesters, not a babysitter, so I'd suggest that you lay off with the Q and A unless you have an actual need."

"If you really didn't have any problems, then why are you dodging the question? I simply desired to talk, and better understand what is on your mind."

"And what I want to better understand is why the fuck are you in my place of work if you have nothing wrong? Look, I know we're between missions, but even then, I've invariably got shit to do when it comes down to the health of the crew. Now get the hell out of the medbay." All along the way of his rant, Fredrick grabbed hold of the struggling Drell and shoved him out of the medbay door. Walking back to his foot locker, he was just about to begin stripping off his armor when he heard the distinct hiss of the door opening again. "I said to 'GET THE HELL OUT-'" He yanked off his helmet and sharply turned around only to find Garrus, now flinching and expecting the impact of a thrown helmet.

"I- if you need some time to yourself, I'll be back in the main gun," Garrus backed off.

"No no, it's alright, come in. It's about time I check on your face's healing progress anyways." The vigilante was wearing civies as he walked in and sat on the medbay bed. As he peeled off the bandage and applied his nanites to start cleaning out dead tissue, Fredrick commented, "You're coming along very nicely. Another month from now and you should be able to go about without the bandage without worry of reopening any wounds. I can't help regenerate the plating, but maybe they could do something about that back on Palaven."

"Linda says she's fine with the scars. Hey, about Shepard, she told me that she approached you before our last visit to the Citadel. Is that true?" Garrus returned.

"If you're worried I'll steal your girl, that shouldn't be a problem. My days of dating are long over," Fredrick answered.

"It's not that, it was more about what you told her concerning Sidonis, one of my ex-squad mates. She said you directed her into convincing me to spare him." Garrus was much less agitated than he was when he first returned from his attempt on Sidonis' life.

"You won't have a problem about that, will you?" Fredrick asked as he started applying the new bandage.

"No, I was wondering why you would bother at all? Why is it your problem whether or not I killed Sidonis? He sold me and my team out to the mercs on Omega. Wouldn't you have done the same thing?" Painfully, Samelthea's smug grin flashed in his mind's eye after Garrus finished the question.

He sighed. That was a tough decision, but he felt it was the right thing. "Garrus, when you look at men and women like Zaeed, Wrex, Thane, Samara, Mordin, or me, what do you see?"

"What do you mean? What are you getting at?"

"I mean we're lost souls in of ourselves. Each and everyone of us has done something horrible and had to burry it. Wrex has dealt with centuries of stillborn children and lost hope, Zaeed failed as a parental figure and is stuck in his own vicious cycle, Thane is, like any other Drell assassin, raised from six to be where he is, same goes with a Justicar's lifestyle, Mordin is more cloak and dagger than one would expect, and my list just goes on. I know how I acted over Terra Nova two years ago, and I know I participated in the invasion of Khar'Shan, but as much as I hate Batarians and everything the Hegemony stands for, I walked away a different man that day. I was eighteen at the time and there were plenty of men, women, and children in those homes. You don't walk through there and exit like you had a calm walk through the park. If it's another soldier, it was a matter of life and death. If it's a civilian, you've incurred more brain damage than you would've had you survived an artillery shell. That shit hurts. You're still a bright, young man Garrus, and I don't want you to sink yourself in an equally deep hole of regrets and ghosts that will haunt you till your dying day."

Garrus was stunned before he asked his next question. "And Torfan?"

"I'll admit to some of the atrocities that day, but don't believe everything the media spews. We were granted much less intel than we would've needed to storm that rock. Not only were the many more Batarians and pirates than were initially reported, but there were clusters of civilians down there as well. It was a clusterfuck, and those who survived deserve better credit than what we were given."

"I see. I'm sorry, Fredrick. I didn't know."

"It's not your fault, Garrus. Some things are just better off left unsaid and buried."

* * *

 **22 hrs/26 min/05 sec**

 **Normandy crew deck, Miranda's office**

Most besides the skeleton crew had gone to sleep by then, but she wasn't. She had switched out to a navy blue hoodie with sleeping pants, contrasting greatly from her normal agent outfit. If it was ever an opportunity, it was now. She stood up from her desk, walked over the drawers in the back of her room and pulled out the medical cooler. "A bit much for an otherwise small package," she thought to herself as she pried open the lid. Inside was a small device the size of a TV remote with several needles and prongs connected to a series of wires. Sitting back down at her desk, she initiated a call, but it wasn't with the Illusive Man this time.

Appearing on the monitor was a Human face of North-American descent with subtle synthetic features. _"Dr. Lawson. Have you gotten the scannings yet?"_ Nolan jumped.

Tapping a few keys on her omnitool and putting on a set of earbuds, she answered, "Not yet, I was about to call you concerning that matter. How exactly am I to use this device exactly?" She walked out like it was a midnight stride, keeping the device snuggly safe in her hoodie pouch.

 _"The three prongs plug in rather nicely in locations all along the spine. Once you plug in the device, it shouldn't take any longer than fifteen minutes to do a thorough scan of Fredrick's systems. Are you sure he's asleep?"_ Nolan answered.

She glanced into the medbay window to see the doctor curled up in one of the medical beds. "I had Chakwas give him a few meds earlier. It only made him a bit drowsy, causing him to turn in earlier today. In conjunction with his earlier mission today." Tip-toeing, she snuck into the medbay and made her way to a place besides Fredrick's bedside. Additionally, it was rather convenient he was wearing a t-shirt rather than his armor under-suit.

 _"Good. The locations should start at the base of the neck before having ports a few centimeters along the spine. You can't miss it."_

She gingerly felt along the aug's neck for the ports until she reached felt the small lumps. "Found them," she said as she gently pushed the needles in. With a few taps of the device, the machine went to work. "It's done. Once I get the information, should I send it directly to you?"

 _"No, it's too risky. If what you're saying is true, and that the Harvesters are desperate to kill him, we can't let them have any advantage over him. Next time you visit the Citadel, drop it off and we'll have it analyzed within the following week. We appreciate you taking the time to help us, Dr. Lawson."_

"It's my pleasure. I'm just hoping it's a minor fluke."


	9. Chapter 9: Payback

(A/N): Oh thank god, this is over. Finals are done, school's out for the time being, and I'll be back at trying to wrap this up.

Chapter 9: Payback

 _She's here, and she has nowhere to run. To think that where she came from, she would've done more to cover her tracks. Now her veil is gone, and she is stranded in a jungle where no one will hear her screams, much less muster the effort to help her._

* * *

 **Aug 30, 2185**

 **15 hrs/41 min/34 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **, Rosetta Nebula, leaving Alpha Draconis**

"You're party of my crew, Taylor. I do what I can to help my people," Linda said as she reached out to shake Jacob's hand. The day before they had landed on Horizon, Jacob had received word of a distress signal coming from a planet deep in Terminus space, namely the ship his father served on before it had reportedly gone missing. With a small team, they went down to investigate the signal only to find the ship in ruins, the distress signal active ten years late, and a colony where his father Ronald Taylor, the acting captain, reigned supreme.

The planet's local flora was toxic to the Human nervous system and would cause decay of higher function after cumulative consumption. With limited amount of supplies, the crew was forced to eat the toxic fruit while the officers continued with the supplies from the ship. Slowly, Taylor Sr. had offed the other officers and had exiled some of the decaying men who began to question his leadership. By the time they arrived, all the other officers besides Ronald were dead, the men who weren't hostile hunters wandered aimlessly, and the women were little more than toys in Captain Taylor's harem. After destroying all of Taylor's reprogrammed security bots and clearing out waves of hunters and their outdated weapons, Jacob had one last confrontation with his father before openly denouncing the man as unrecognizable, and stuck within his own fantasy.

Leaving, Linda established contact with the Alliance, calling for an envoy of ships to recover the survivors and treat them, giving Jacob some peace in mind. As she returned to work, her yeoman Kelly called her over from her position next to the Galaxy map. Walking over, Kelly quickly reported, "Commander, there have been multiple reports of Colonel Müller lashing out at several patients and crew. How should I handle him?"

About damn time. After the Collector Ship, the away team had become more forth-coming concerning personal issues they would like to deal with before they left for the Omega-4 Relay. Most recently, she went to the edges of Terran space to help Jack with a Cerberus lab the convict was raised in, and just recently helped Jacob find peace with what had become of his father. Along with previously helping Miranda and Garrus, she figured it was high time she found out what was on Fredrick's mind. "What's your opinion on the 'good' doctor, Kelly?"

"His psychological profile matches, but the personality profile isn't how it was recorded by Cerberus databases. Before I came aboard the _Normandy_ , I heard that he was violent, but self-controlled. Usually, this is a sign he's failed to retrieve treatment for some ordeal he experienced earlier, and now his body is forcibly causing him to vent. Post-traumatic stress disorder possibly. Is there anything else you need commander?" Chambers quickly answered.

"No, that'll be good. I'll head down there myself and see what the hell is going on. He wasn't like this until the near end last time we were together. Maybe something happened then. Still, if he doesn't report anything, keep tabs on him." She made her way to the elevator at the back of the bridge and tapped the button to go to the crew deck. God, that man could be a self-righteous bastard at times. She could respect that he'd survived for so long and had developed his own views, but there was just something so blatantly backwards about his ideals. As she exited the elevator and made her way to the medbay, she was greeted with the sight of the medbay doors opening followed by Jack flying out.

Shortly afterward, a hunk of what looked like the upper half of someone's head flew out and collided with Jack as she tried to climb to her feet. "And stay out of my place of work when I'm _fucking_ busy!" the doctor yelled.

"Fine, bitch! Fuck you too!" Jack hissed as she climbed to her feet, dusting herself off. "Hey Shepard, what's up?"

"I was going in to see what the hell is happening to him. When are you going to start wearing that new vest I got you?" Shepard returned.

Jack hadn't decided to wear much else than what she went to the Purgatory prison barge wearing. She still wore the one set of overalls and boots, leaving little to the imagination and displaying her plethora of tattoos. "Next mission, relax. If you'd get him to shut up, I'll buy you a beer," she quipped as she left for the elevator.

Entering the medbay, Fredrick had been previously working with one of the bodies collected from 2175 Aeia to better understand the damage done to the nervous system by the toxic flora. Wearing little more than an undershirt and some pants, he had cut open a dead hunter's head and was digging though the grey sludge of brain tissue to examine the damage done. "Well, commander, the affects of the neurotoxin don't seem to be permanent. Given the range of medical tools available today, these guys could've been captured and rehabilitated within three month's time."

"Müller, we need to talk," Shepard started.

"About what?" Fredrick turned away from the medical table and wiped off his hands.

"About the fact you've been antsy as hell and have been taking it out on everything that so much as breaths. I could understand if you tore things up like Grunt did in the storage compartment, but this is getting to be a serious problem when teammates start heading into the field already bruised. Whatever you have on your mind, stop it and spit out. I may not like where you may take this, but I'd at least like to see if it's something I can help." Linda crossed her arms with annoyance and leaned across another empty bed.

Angrily, Fredrick turned back around to face the table with the corpse. "Can't you give an old man a break? The Harvesters want me dead even more than you do, and conspiring with criminal factions just to keep everyone happy being with me when they invariably arrive wasn't an option." Out of all honesty, what did bother him? Sure it was the mass of the galaxy's willful ignorance, but he felt like it was more recent than that. Life still felt relatively normal until... Samelthea. His rage suddenly formed her face again. It was her. She was on Illium, and it caused him to repeatedly scratch at the cage bars, swinging wildly while she laughed at a safe distance. Unfortunately, this would probably turn into another scenario where Shepard would just have to intervene so she could remain morally upright. "However, there has been one thing that has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now. I encountered an old adversary back on Illium that I had tangled with well over a century ago. She was part of some crime syndicate I had to take down at the time, but she got away. But not before causing a good eight-hundred-thousand innocent people to die to keep us off her tracks. Since then, she disappeared. Recently, I saw her in the Illium marketplace, but she got away before I could take her out."

Shepard was glaring at him, trying to mentally picture his end goal. "So what is it you need me to do then?"

"Nothing too much, I was just hoping we could make another stop to Illium before we blow the Collectors to hell for good. You think... you think Liara might have access to some employee databases of other companies?" Fredrick answered. He didn't want Shepard to greatly intervene, so he wanted to keep her out of it as much as possible.

Now he was being borderline suspicious. "Prooobably. I've got a few upgrades in mind that we'll need before we're ready, so I'll be able to get us down there soon before we head to Tachunka to help Grunt and Mordin with personal matters before returning to the Citadel to do the same with Thane. But I want to see to it that matters don't get too far out of hand, so I'd at least like to see as much as how you get your information before you start painting Illium in more blood."

Finally, a satisfied grin grew across his face, away from Linda's view. "That's good to know Shepard. I know you're not one to agree with my tactics, but I appreciate you taking the time to give me this opportunity that my younger self missed out on. That means a lot to me."

"Just try not to cause an incident, alright?" He was clearly hiding more than he would let in on, and it was painfully obvious too. So far, those he had talked to were pretty open to discussing the problems they faced right off the bat, so what was Müller so afraid of telling?

* * *

 **Sept 01, 2185**

 **15 hrs/47 min/09 sec**

 **Nos Astra airport, Illium, Tasale System, Crescent Nebula**

He could barely contain his excitement as he walked down the docking tube to the _Normandy_. The day had finally come, and Alice would finally be put to rest. For too long had those who had given her to the enemy allowed to live on guilt free. Tevos may still live, but she still had her utility, Samelthea did not. She escaped the scythe of judgement when the damage she had indirectly caused to Terran relations for decades was too great to ignore. If no one else would pick up the duty of carrying out punishment where it was due, then he would.

She was almost scared as she walked off her ship with him with Garrus and Thane close behind. He didn't know what cycled through his head and she almost didn't want to know. She knew he would never turn his gun against her, but the man in blazing white and red had a very strict code concerning who lived and who died based almost completely on utility. When was the next time he would consume additional lives to sooth his need for blood? Could his rampage ever be stopped?

Linda had called ahead to let Liara know they were coming, so that she could send her mercenaries to "keep Fredrick safe from other merc groups." In reality, she didn't want him leaving her sight like he was her disobedient child. Furthermore, Thane and Garrus were along to help pick Fredrick off if he were to disobey orders. Walking to Liara's business complex with a dozen of her black color-schemed guards surrounding them, it was a deafeningly silent walk. As they finally entered, Liara was already sitting at her desk facing them. "Shepard, it's good to see you again. Please, have a seat." The two sat down in the chairs in front of the desk, before Fredrick pulled out a mental recording on his omnitool. It was the most recent sighting of Samelthea down the scope he had purchased to temporarily put onto his particle rifle. "What is it you need, Shepard?"

"Actually, I needed your help today," Fredrick answered. "I was looking for someone that I have recently located on Illium. Is it possible you could do an identity search based upon facial recognition?" Fredrick asked as he uploaded the image from his omnitool to Liara's.

Liara blinked for a moment as she looked at the face and stuttered, "Ah, yes. Of course. This will only take a moment." Liara hesitated further before finally tapping a few keys on her desk monitor. Within the span of one minute, she said, "I've got it. Her name is Nuialey M'tolas and she works at a hardware firm in the Nan-Bei district Southeast of here called Kray Inc. as a financial manager. Anything else?"

"Schematics of the building she works at and directions to get there. I'll give it to her that she's crafty, so I want to know what options she has so I can cut her off if she attempts to escape," Fredrick inquired.

With a few more taps, she managed to gain access to a conveniently accessible copy of the building blueprints. "There. You're lucky that construction and maintenance companies have access to these sort of files," she started. "Is there anything else you'll need before you'll go?" Liara asked again as she uploaded Samelthea's fake ID and work location to Fredrick's omnitool.

"This will be sufficient. Just some minor planning and we'll be on our way." Fredrick looked gleefully at the new files he had on his omnitool before rising. "I'll be outside and ready to go. I can do this on my own. Let me know when the _Normandy_ is about to leave, alright commander?"

"Of course," Linda returned. "You go on ahead. I just need a few more things from Liara."

As the door shut between the two, Liara taped a button on her desk before muttering, "Wolf is heading down your way. Stall him, keep him in the lobby." Looking back up, she asked Shepard, "I presume you have the same concerns as I do?"

"He's clearly hiding something, but I can't figure out what. Is it possible you could look further into this 'Nuialey M'tolas'?" Linda confirmed.

Sighing, Liara rubbed her temples before taping a few more keys to upload the same data to Shepard's omnitool. "I'll keep this brief so you can catch up to him sooner. Back on the first _Normandy_ , I found him taking a nap some time before our visit to... Noveria. I melded with him while he was unconscious, and I found some rather... disturbing... memories and thoughts. I remember seeing a 'M'tolas', and I'm confident it's at least negative. Do you know why he wants her dead?"

"All he mentioned was some sort of past rivalry. Simply put, his vague description is helping to garner any support on my behalf," Shepard returned with increasing concern.

"I see. I'll keep looking into her, see what I can dig up. I'll do what I can get ahold of, and keep you updated as you go. I'm not sure if what I saw during the mind meld will be enough, as I only saw it briefly. Either way, be careful with the colonel. It's all clearly attached to something very sensitive to him that he rather-" Liara was sharply interrupted by a sharp buzzing at her desk intercom. "What is it? What's going on?"

 _Ms. T'soni, the Wolf is gone. We tried to keep him in the lobby, but he still managed to leave the building. He claimed he needed to use the restrooms, but when we sent a couple of guys to keep an eye on him, he had disappeared, presumably through the ceiling vents. We just sent a few guys out to check the outside of the building and to bring him back, but you might want to finish whatever you're discussing,_ a panicked voice returned.

"What?! I knew I should've invested in better ventilation security. You should go, Shepard. It's not too late to stop him yet."

* * *

 **16 hrs/00 min/06 sec**

Close, but they'll be onto his absence in another minute if they are as competent if he believes them to be. Climbing out of the side of the building into a back-alley, he looked both ways down the darkened, corridors of unkept street. Making it to the end of one street, he suddenly cloaked at the sound of footsteps, narrowly avoiding the detection of six Athame's Spear troops before uncloaking in the open. Snapping his head around him to make sure no one was following him, he began to make his way over to a taxi stop. Constantly glancing over his shoulder, he couldn't shake the sensation that someone was still following him. And who wouldn't? He was a wanted man by many parties wearing little urban camouflage.

Along the ledge overlooking city sprawl down below were a string of skycars with various species of drivers waiting alongside them. Choosing a Salarian next to an olive green skycar, he pulled out his omnitool, saying, "Rate doesn't matter. Can you get me to this address?"

Climbing into the car, Fredrick pulled out his omnitool and began to extensively study the building schematics. Plenty of entrances and exits for employees, maintenance, and emergencies. Luckily, all the locks were tied to a single network for security purposes, whether it be keeping mistakes in or assailants and those looking to steal corporate secrets out. At a moment's notice, the whole facility could be locked down with the press of a button. How very convenient.

* * *

 **16 hrs/14 min/32 sec**

Almost fifteen minutes of searching for the man, and she'd made little headway. While Liara searched hacked security footage to find where he may have gone, she sifted through the sea of bystanders for anyone who would've seen Müller. Understandably, most they talked to didn't even want to be found as connected to the crazed Terran. By now, he would've taken a skycar of his own to his destination, and she would be wasting her time looking for someone long-gone.

"Have you seen this man?" She walked up to an Asari woman purchasing what looked to be illegal tech.

Squinting, the woman responded, "Him? I think I saw him pass by here not too long ago. He walked over there, to the open platform, you can't miss it."

Following her gesture, Linda's heart sank as her eyes landed on a small taxi port. He's gone, and he's off to follow up on some unsettled score. "Liara, I just picked up the scent, but he's already left the district."

 _Damn, he's fast. Just get to the loading dock North of your current position, I'm sending a dropship to take you to his destination. They're already on their way,_ Liara cursed over the intercom. _Good luck stopping him. I think I'm onto something concerning his Nuialey, I'll let you know._

Only a couple of minutes later, Thane and Garrus met up with her on the platform where a black shuttle with the Spear of Athame emblem on the side came to a stop and opened. "What in Spirit's name has gotten into him?" Garrus muttered.

"The worst case scenario," Thane followed up. "That's what."

* * *

 **16 hrs/25 min/28 sec**

 **Kray Inc., Nan-Bei, Illium**

It was late, and she was bored. It payed very well and felt very rewarding, but the job was a crawl compared to the life of a commando. Being a commando had many perks, like having access to tech that was otherwise almost comparable to Terran equipment or the ability to follow orders and feel good about it. Now she was stuck behind a desk all out of shape from a lack of such a physically demanding lifestyles.

For now, the office was getting close to closing time. Just another half hour more, she could head home, prepare and have dinner, and collapse on the bed. Her hand reached over to a photo on her desk with a photo of her and a Drell boyfriend, next to another photo of her and a her old team. Calmly sighing, her thoughts were interrupted by a buzz from her desk intercom. Responding, she tapped the button and responded, "Yes? What is it?"

It was the front-desk staff. _You have a visitor. She's a commando, says she's an old colleague of yours, and wants to have a talk, says it's important._

She raised an eyebrow. What would her old commando unit need from her after all this time? Sure, the artifacts she dealt with before she retired were clearly not Prothean, but what the hell did she know? She was the soldier that oversaw the operation, not the doctors who physically watched the chain of events happen. Getting up from her desk, she quietly walked through her cubicle and to the elevator at the end of the block. Yawning, she pressed the button to the front lobby and watched the doors close. Maybe this is an excuse to get off of work early and not have to drag through another half-hour. Entering the front lobby, her eyes widened with absolute shock as her eyes landed on the receptionist. Her head had almost been torn clean off from her body, hang off the side of the body by mere strands of skin and muscle, with purple blood oozing all over her dress. A man in white and maroon armor was leaning over a monitor with his back to her, working at the receptionist's computer. Suddenly, the security shutters sharply closed around the front entrance and windows, instantly cutting off her initial escape methods. Taking a few extra seconds to breath, the man turned around, revealing the blood soaked armor of none other then Fredrick Müller. "Hello, Samelthea. It's been a while, how have you been?"

Retreating to the elevator, she desperately mashed the button to another floor until she could find another path into the parking garage. Regardless of how many times she mashed the buttons, they didn't light up, and the elevator didn't go anywhere.

"Come on, where are you going? This is no way to greet an old friend!" Müller mocked as particle shots brushed past the door and into the wall behind her. Putting up a barrier, she made a dash for the stairwell, narrowly escaping before her barriers depleted. His laughs echoed up the stairs behind her, following her.

If it weren't for the fact he had just interfaced with the security console, he would've had the opportunity to instantly cap her right then and there. No matter, he would enjoy dragging this out for her. "Run all you like, Samelthea. You have nowhere to go!" he yelled as he swapped batteries for his rifle.

* * *

The dropship came into view of the building below, Shepard got a clear view of the complex. However, as they got closer, it became pretty apparent that the shutters were already down and locked. "Liara, the building is already on lockdown," she reported over the coms. "Are there any other entrances that would be viable?"

 _"The skycar garage appears to be left open for some reason, I'll have the pilot drop you off there. Also, I've been looking further into Colonel M_ _ü_ _ller's intended target. Her name is actually Samelthea T'zeros, and has officially disappeared one-hundred and sixteen years ago. I'm still looking into her actual identity, but perhaps you might find something at her desk. I'll provide you coordinates to her desk in the building, but you might want to make it quick, alarms are going off all across the facility,"_ Liara answered.

The ship gradually hovered into the parking garage and landed on the floor. As the shuttle door opened, the garage looked relatively untouched. On a balcony above by a door next to a guard post, were two security officers backing out of another hallway. The Turian officer suddenly went down as a blade landed squarely in his forehead, causing him to topple over dead. Taking cover, the Salarian officer peaked only briefly before his arm was shot clean off by a particle beam. With little time to recover, a second beam blew a hole clean through his head, causing the corpse to flop over the railing and onto the ground in front of them. Shortly after Fredrick came briefly into view as he walked over to the guard post, before taking a rocket launcher slung over his shoulder and putting it into the post before returning to where he came from.

"Time is of the essence, commander. How should we handle the current crisis?" Thane said, pulling out his machine pistol.

"Just get to him quick before he hurts someone. I at least want answers before he kills T'zeros." Having Garrus hack the door leading out of the parking lot, the team made their way through a level of panicking office workers, as they began to worry over the sound of particle beams firing one floor above. Running over to the stairwell, an explosion violently shook the building, and caused the ceiling to collapse in the center of the room. "Christ, by the time he kills that woman, there'll be no building left!"

* * *

She was having a very bad day. Corporate security was dull enough as is, but now the building alarms were blaring and there was a tank rolling through and stomping out everyone that got in his way to get one single employee. At least she didn't have any of the other personnel to worry about. Right now, she was huddled behind a desk, loading another thermal clip into her gun before turning to watch in horror as another security guard fell onto his back with a menacing, thin, sharp blade of black crystal sticking from his forehead.

" _Alright, take it easy. Take a few breaths, put up a barrier, then peak from cover. That would probably give enough leeway to retreat to a more advantageous-"_ the security guard's thoughts were sharply disrupted as a hail of particle beams ripped through her cover, leaving her riddled with chuncks of her flesh and organs burned away. Coughing and sputtering blood, she could barely muster the strength to lift her arm. Face-down on the floor, the last thing she could hear was a single set of footsteps calmly thump by.

This was exhilarating and at the same time therapeutic. He knew Shepard wasn't too far behind to jump on him some more, but that didn't matter. T'zeros would be dead, and this long-buried case would finally end. Entering the next stairwell, he could distantly hear the former commando panting a few levels up. "I remember doing this same exact thing back on Erros with your crew. No gas, but the same sensation. I'm not locked in here with a bunch of security personnel," he recited, voice echoing up the stairs.

 _"Shit"_ she though, making a dash through the next level and running desperately across the next cubicle. _"I should've visited the gym more often. Now I'm going to be snuffed out with a Goddess-damned whimper,"_ she cursed herself, huffing as she ran to the other end of the room. Where could she go? What exits had he not sealed off? Where could she go? Desperately making it up the other stairwell, she raced to reach the roof access, only to encounter another wall of metallic shutters, blocking the door. Turning around and beginning to make her way down, one of the doors flew off of it's frame and tumbled down the stairwell, stopping with an echoey "clang!" from the ground.

"It's not polite to leave your guests hanging, Samelthea. I thought you knew better than this," the Terran's voice said, following her like a persistent ghost in a horror film. Bursting into the nearest door, she ran across another sea of panicked, confused workers. Why was he here now? What the hell did he want after all this time?

* * *

 **16 hrs/55 min/24 sec**

Dealing the the confused security wasn't the problem. Getting around the various obstacles Fredrick's rage created was. Chunks of building blocked off whole areas, prompting the team to go up or down another level to get around, followed by getting around crowds of panicking people, and the usual signs that Fredrick had been rampaging through not too long prior. Along with trying to catch up with him, they were on their way to finding Samelthea's desk, and look for a better explanation there.

Arriving on the floor where Liara had informed she worked, they quickly sprinted down the yet untouched desks. Immediately, what drew their attention was the photo of Samelthea with eleven other Asari in armor. After having Garrus hack through the computer, Shepard proceeded to call Liara as she scanned the photo with her omnitool. "Liara, I'm sending an image to you. Can you make anything of this?" Linda asked.

 _Well, you at least helped to fill in the pieces. Samelthea T'zeros was previously a Commando Major working within the Asari Republic's armed forces. From the set of faces you just pulled up, the members of her team all show up as KIA, however the causes of the deaths are classified. If I were to guess based upon the memories I've seen from Fredrick, he was furious, and went hunting. After that, Samelthea disappeared and Nuialey M'tolas suddenly exists. Whatever she did, it's off the record and is probably something sensitive to the political stage, and all of the squad's last activities before being disbanded in 2069 are classified as well. The only way you're getting any more answers is if you ask M_ _ü_ _ller, and before he kills her,_ Liara explained.

"Then we really do need to hurry. Come on guys, we've got to stop Fredrick before he kills Samelthea," Shepard ordered.

"Wouldn't it be preferable to simply let him kill her? Perhaps his ire is justified," Thane proposed.

"I don't care how well his cause is justified. You don't plow through innocent lives like what he does. We're catching him and we're making him talk." She had enough of his games. He would explain himself.

"Illium isn't well known for having innocent people. But I still trust your judgement, Linda," Garrus returned.

* * *

 **17 hrs/15 min/41 sec**

She finally reached the garage. He wasn't in sight, but the lack of anybody nearby was significantly troubling, aside from two dead security personnel lying on the floor. Rushing over to where she parker her car, she used what she still remembered from her commando training to gingerly scout the area for explosives or booby traps. So far, nothing. This was strange, it was almost too easy.

Her doubts were cut short by a distant explosion, reminding her of the imminent threat. Getting into her car, she put the key into the ignition and felt the comforting hum of the mass effect engine. As the car left the ground, she calmly steered it through the garage, landing her eyes on the exit. She was going to make it. Now, all she had to do was head home, pack her stuff, empty her accounts on Illium, then head back to Thessia and start all over. Maybe this time, she'd be lucky enough to outlive the crazy bastard. Her smile swiftly faded as the garage security doors shut. It was the oldest trick in the book, too.

"Surprise, bitch." Fredrick was standing at the control booth with an light anti-armor launcher he stole from the security officer lockers and had left by the booth earlier. With a single pull of the trigger, he launched the rocket, sending the skycar tumbling to the ground in flames. With an elligant motion, he lept over the railing and calmly strode over to what remained of Samelthea's car and punched out the windshield. Coughing on smoke and heavily bleeding from various injuries, he pulled the woman from the wreckage and tossed her roughly to the ground. "It's been a looong time. How have you been? I've been busy in life, so I didn't have time to catch up. If I had known you were on Illium, I would've come by and said hello!" He was grinning as he watched Samelthea drag herself over to a wall, leaving a trail of purple liquid behind her.

She coughed and glared back defiantly for the first few seconds, and uttered between coughs, "You really have a problem, don't you? Still hounding me like a sick animal after all this time?"

"The Harvesters are a constant problem and we all would've found out about them sooner or later, but you've been an especially big proponent in taking a shit on Terran PR. I'm pretty confident we would've had a better public standing if you just hadn't shown your ugly face. What, recruitment posters weren't enough for you?"

"Bet you wouldn't have been such a bastard either. So why me then? You do know as well as I do that Councilor Tevos gave the order. And why not just kill me right now if that's what you want?"

He grabbed her injured right leg and dragged her away from the wall. "She knows her place. She has to sit on her throne and pray to the heavens I just don't wisen up one day and shoot her where she stands. Besides, I'm content with letting this drag out for as long as possible. Let's play an Earth classic, shall we? It's called hangman. The objective of the game is to guess out a word or phrase, letter by letter. If you get the wrong word, you lose a limb. Once all your limbs are gone, you lose your head. Understand?"

"What I still don't understand is what the hell you plan on achieving," Linda said, walking up behind Fredrick, followed by Garrus and Thane.

"Oh, hey Shepard. What are you still doing here?" Oh, great. She just has to play the second-coming like she usually does.

"You haven't given me any reason to particularly trust you on this situation. I know who T'zeros is, and I know she was an Asari Commando. What I don't know is what you hope to achieve by killing her. She doesn't work for the Asari Republics anymore, and she certainly isn't stealing Terran secrets or whatever, so start talking," Linda spat.

Growling, Fredrick simply pulled his particle blade out and crouched next to Samelthea. "Oho, you wish she really was that innocent, don't you? Remember that little incident I mentioned concerning my first contact with Nazara? This bitch is knee deep in it. For the uninitiated, the Asari are very proud of their position on top of the technological food-chain, almost zealous too. Then the Terrans came along and were just _so_ threatening to their place above over the others. Taking some Harvester tech that the Salarians had found on the edges of Terminus Space, and an abducted Terran soldier for a test run, they wanted to see if they could use to put us in our place like dogs and their masters. Naturally, he got out, infected his own team, and almost let the Harvesters in for another round. When all was said and done, the Asari, especially Tevos, were all very hush-hush about the situation. And that wasn't all. The galaxy got all paranoid afterwards; whatever trust we earned, flushed away. So what if I kept the whole story hidden? Facts are facts, and this bitch is guilty as charged."

This would be difficult. Fredrick had over a century to think about this. "What do you really think you'll achieve here anyways? Killing her won't undo the damage she's done."

"I may be a soldier, but I also do my share to uphold the law. Doesn't cooperating with criminal factions, kidnaping soldiers from other factions, and the indirect cause of eight-hundred-thousand lives across the Citadel Station equally count as committing the crimes yourself?" Fredrick retorted.

"So that's it. You're lashing out in spite. And if you really are protecting the law, then what's with the bodies all along this building? Weren't they innocents too? Or were they just collateral damage?" She was visibly winning, and Fredrick knew it.

"So maybe I am a hypocrite. So what does that make of her, then? She gets to go free? Like every other criminal out here? You clearly wanted to talk me down a different path, but you aren't providing me with any other alternatives. I'm not seeing any either. What she's done is off the record. As far as the rest of the galaxy knows, she's clean of any actions." If she was so content on remaining a pacifist for scenarios where death was "unnecessary," the least she could do was provide an alternative, because T'zeros was clearly not experiencing extreme guilt like was the case with Garrus' "friend."

"So we make up our own story. No one knows if it is true, and no one knows if it is false. I want to help you Müller, but you have to trust me on this one. If it helps you get around this, I'll see to it she's arrested. You don't have to resolve all your issues with someone dying."

Fredrick wasn't a man to give up easily, but now he was on the verge of physical collapse. It was back to the same gutted feeling after he euthanized Alice. He wanted nothing more than to crush Samelthea's skull, but at the same time he just wanted the pain to finally fade. Dripping some nanites on her wounds, he allowed Samelthea to fade to black while healing her wounds. "You win. But I hope you have an alternative option."

"Liara can help, I'm sure of it. Come on, we should leave before the local authorities arrive," Shepard responded as she tapped her omnitool. "Are you okay?"

Fredrick paused as he looked at T'zeros' unconscious body. "I don't know. I'll tell you back on the ship, but after that incident, I really didn't have time to pause and take account of what I had lost that day. But I digress. No time to pause now." As the garage doors opened again, the dropship that had delivered the other three had returned to pick them up.

* * *

 **18 hrs/08 min/45 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay**

 _"I have managed to intercept multiple messages concerning the local authorities. They have arrested Samelthea T'zeros on the premise of selling secrets of the state to foreign entities. She currently is awaiting trial concerning the possible compromise of state secrets-"_ EDI informed.

"Yeah yeah, thanks EDI." Fredrick stumbled with exhaustion into the medbay, armor still coated in blood. Landing on his footlocker, he leaned back took a big heavy sigh as his hand reached into one of his top pouches on his chest-plate. He continued to reserve the pocket to keep Alice's dogtags and the ring he planned to propose with. He allowed the tags to dangle by their chain from his hand, staring at the metal end like a pendulum. She was finally at rest, but even now it hurt as he fought to blink back the tears.

"Are those actual tears?" Linda asked breaking his thoughts.

Leaning forward, Fredrick grumbled, "No, I'm becoming increasingly allergic to your incessant need to become involved in every scenario that in. Still, it feels nice to finally move on from this. Men and women like us just don't have the luxury of having a shoulder to cry on, especially after my team and I were separated."

"Mind if I ask what happened?" Shepard said, sitting on the bed.

Sighing, he started, "After the colony on Khonsu got separated from Earth, they were left in a bad spot. We had the tech, knowledge, and food to last long enough to build terraformers, but they were at risk of running out of oxygen to breath. Eventually, the heads of the science teams pitched the idea of giving the miners and workers breathing implants so they could survive the harsh environment. It didn't fly well with some of the populace at the time, and a few minor riots ensued, causing the deaths of a few hundred crucial staff members. Not wanting to risk causing any further uproar, they opted to artificially 'add' to the populace with cloned members. Along with being the next generation, we were also implemented with the tech they'd found that initially caused the separation. Officially, I was among the first 'Terrans.' Among us were the team I led for my first decades, other staff you can still find on Khonsu today, and her: Alice Noel. She was on her own team at the time, but we were small-time friends early on. As we got older, we considered it a fling when we were still kids, but we later grew back towards forming a relationship."

"Then what happened?" Linda prompted.

"I don't know. The Asari really did feel like the status quo would no longer lean in their favor. Tevos is quite the nationalist, and she wanted something specifically designed to counter Terran troops. Along with stealing a Harvester controlled device that I was assigned to escort and kidnapping one of Alice's team leader, Benjamin, they thought whatever they found was the key. Benjamin, escaped, infected and with the artifact. Infecting the rest of his team, he went in disguise to Illium to hire a team of Blood Pack to cause a distraction while he went to activate the Citadel. We had to kill every last one of them, Alice was last. I fought her one on one in the Citadel Tower. I could tell her actions weren't her own and that she was in pain. She and her team were under direct control from Nazara at the time, so that's how I first heard of him at the time. I tried following up on Samelthea, but she was long gone, and her team had already cleared away most of the evidence. That day haunted me, and I'm grateful that you helped me move along," Fredrick finished.

"You are who you are, but I still consider you as a vital teammate. A good friend, even," Shepard reassured.

"Thanks, I'll be ready when you need me, this won't bother me anymore. Now I should probably was the blood off, then slowly sob myself to sleep." Fredrick rose to his feet, put the dog tags on a medical table, then walked out to head to the male's bathrooms. Getting up, Linda watched as he disappeared behind the door before picking up and observing Alice's dog tags.


	10. Chapter 10: The Pain we all Share

(A/N): I'll try to get this story wrapped up by the end of the summer if possible. I'm not sure if I'll extend this post-ME3 unless I can find a proper reason to do so.

Chapter 10: The Pain we all Share

 _Having to review my case with T'zeros helped to put my life into perspective compared to the others on this team. We may be soldiers, but we all have something pressing down on our minds, mostly due to family. They're lucky. At least they have family, I had my batch, Dr. Andrew's DNA, and a growth jar._

* * *

 **Sept 1, 2185**

 **11 hrs/00 min/11 sec Local Time**

 **Tachunka, Aralakh System, Krogan DMZ, approaching the Urdnot camp**

"Shepard. Have to ask before arrival. You confident Urdnot can be trusted?" Mordin asked between maintenance checks of his omnitool.

"Relax, your history as an STG operative won't get in the way. I'll see to that. Besides, Müller and I know someone in clan Urdnot who still might be on Tachunka. He'll vouch for us," Shepard reassured. "He may be in a bit of a position himself, but we'll find out when we get there."

"I assume you've looked over some Cerberus intel concerning Wrex's whereabouts?" Fredrick asked as he slipped a new battery into his rifle, and clicked the locking mechanism into place.

"I'm more concerned that Wrex may have changed, and won't be nearly as friendly this time around," Garrus injected, still adjusting the gauntlets on his new set of heavy Turian armor. While it resembled the big, bulky blue armor he had after coming off of Omega Station, it had navy blue primary colors with deep red secondary colors and a headset to attach to his visor.

"Was there no way to check before we entered the atmosphere?" Samara asked calmly.

"I checked myself while Miranda was away from her office. Details were very minor; they were only able to learn so much from a distance," Thane answered.

"Does it matter? There's enough of us. I don't see why any of you are worried," Grunt shrugged.

On a visit to the Krogan homeworld, both Grunt and Mordin had personal matters to sort out. Mordin had recently received word that a former STG subordinate named Maelon had been captured by Blood Pack forces, and Grunt was acting increasingly aggressive and agitated. From what Fredrick could tell, it was only hormones, but Shepard wanted to visit Tachunka for verification. Meanwhile, Fredrick was assigned to help Mordin in his rescue mission along side Thane and Zaeed deep into another clan's territory.

Slowing down, the shuttle hovered over a hatch on the surface, allowing them to land away from the heavy winds. Exiting the shuttle, all eight left the platform, only to be greeted by a rather hostile captain and lieutenant. After exiting the hanger area, they entered what looked like a maintenance shaft, paralleled with a series of pipes. _I have looked into Krogan medical records, but nothing that describes Grunt's current condition, I suggest speaking with the Krogan chieftain,_ EDI informed the team over the coms. _Also, the local report files are poorly encrypted, and make reference to a captured Salarian. I recommend either talking to the chief scout or the chieftain for further details._

Fredrick had previously visited Tachunka on a few occasions, so he wasn't nearly surprised at the view as he was the first time. The interior of the Urdnot camp from which Wrex was from almost resembled a metro tunnel and how the ceiling was meters above before finishing with a crevice down the middle. As the tunnel disappeared in the distance, each dark pocket was lit up by a small fire or light with small tents and huts nearby. All along the way, holes and exposed metal reinforcement in the concrete showed signs of the constant warring between Krogan tribes, with a peak at the barren world outside showing through. Towards the immediate right was a pile of rubble leading to a small "throne" with four Krogan occupying the space.

Walking up, the team were told to keep back by two guards as the other two Krogan in warlord armor. Fredrick instantly recognized the bored Krogan on the throne as Wrex, as he became increasingly annoyed with the bickering of the Krogan before him. Instead of his usual maroon armor, Wrex was now wearing a royal gray set of armor, the usual attire for clan leaders and battlemasters. Glancing off to the side, his vision instantly snapped back onto Shepard and the others, causing him to rise enthusiastically. "Shepard my friend! And you even brought Fredrick and Garrus! Hah, you're looking quite good for being 'dead.' I knew the void couldn't hold you forever!"

"Looks like you're doing quite well for yourself, Wrex. Good to know we didn't have to kill each other back on Virmire," Linda greeted back.

"Indeed. Your actions made clan Urdnot's rise possible. Virmire was just the thing that... how do Humans say it? Broke the camel's back. Destroying that facility broke the hold Saren and Sovereign had on a number of Krogan clans, and I used it as a call to action. For all the clans to unite under Urdnot if we are to survive," Wrex responded.

"Must I remind you of the numerous traditions you have subsequently scrapped to get your way, Wrex?" The Krogan Wrex was talking to had a green head crest and gray armor, illuminated with blue lighting.

Clearly, Wrex had his fill when he sharply turned and lunged his head forward, head-butting the elder and sending him to his knees. "Speak when spoken to, Uvenk. I and the rest of us _Normandy_ crew will drag you and everyone else to victory, whether you like it or not. Now, Shepard, what brings you here? How's the _Normandy_?"

"Destroyed in a Collector attack and I got spaced. Fredrick nearly got spaced too in a confrontation a week later," Linda answered.

"Well you don't look too bad coming out of it. Benefits of a redundant nervous system, right?" Wrex chuckled.

"Wrex, Terrans may have such a similar trait, but only because quite a few of us are integrated with Krogan DNA. Normally, Humans don't have such a benefit," Fredrick reminded.

"Damn. What matters is, you're back, and you've got a shiny new ship if the scouts aren't hung over on ryncol. Makes me think back to the old days, and I almost wish I could come along if it weren't for the damned fact I'm stuck here babysitting the clans." After Shepard's death and Fredrick's near miss, Wrex returned to Tachunka to reunite the Krogan clans under a single flag, seeing that the Harvesters were coming. If they were to survive the onslaught, they would need to put aside their differences and get back to work on helping to build Krogan numbers again. While he would use the fertile females of other clans as living shields, it did help to build Urdnot as a sanctuary for future generations. While clans were left to remain individual, order was still established to prevent infighting. "Anyways, I don't remember us bringing this many members on a mission for a single sitting with the exception of Virmire and Ilos. I've got the feeling you have something big in mind."

"Not really, just a few personal favors. For starters, I'm looking for a captured Salarian. He was captured by a division of Blood Pack and brought here," Linda said. "Also, I was looking to get some help for a Krogan I recruited, think he might be sick."

"Ah yes, heard about the Salarian. Talk to the scout chief up the tunnel, he'll be able to tell more, at a post with multiple monitors. Lemme see this youngling," Wrex replied before gesturing to Grunt.

"I'll be off to talk with this scout chief," Fredrick injected as he started to turn. "I'll try to catch up with you later, Wrex." Fredrick, followed by Mordin, Thane, and Zaeed walked down the long tunnel of fire pits and Krogans in their natural state of living between conflicts. Making their way down the middle of the trench, there was a small improvised command center with multiple panels displaying team locations and security footage of the surrounding area of the camp.

"What do you want, Terran? I've already got plenty on my hands, and the last thing I need is you interrupting me, you filthy abomination," the chief growled at him.

"Whatever. I received word that an STG agent was captured by Blood Pack forces and brought to Tachunka, and that you might know some more details. Care to share?" Fredrick replied with equal hostility.

"Ah, yes, I heard about the poor bastard. If it's Blood Pack, then Clan Weyrloc has him. Tensions are bad enough with Urdnot Wrex piling so many previously hostile clans in the same spot, and I'm already afraid I just might've blown the most rest I've ever had when I sent a scout to investigate earlier this week. He never checked back in, so they probably got him too. Listen, Terran, most of us may not smile brightly upon your kind save for Wrex, but you'll earn my gratitude if you get him out of enemy territory and back here. The chief radioed me to give you one of the trucks. Just follow the highway over to Weyrloc's base, if you have the quad to deal with him and his Blood Pack," the chief replied.

"I'm confident in my capabilities. Just radio the guys and let them know we'll be on our way out," Fredrick ordered. Looking up towards the garage were two enormous, six-wheeled vehicles that resembled a dump truck used in mines on Earth during the late 20th Century and early 21st. On top of the vehicle was a mounted turret, with a slit on the underside for the gunner to peer from. "Anything you can tell us before we walk in? Location, resistance, anything?"

"Weyrloc started the Blood Pack, the only gang on Tachunka with an off-world presence. Currently, they're bunkered down in an old hospital, and they've got squads of Vorcha patrolling the exterior. Just before I lost contact with my scout, he mentioned the heavy presence of Krogan inside, with little-to-no Vorcha," the scout chief answered. "Oh, and before you go, do me a favor. Go in there and tear every one of them, limb from limb. That'll teach them to mess with us... Well, mostly you."

* * *

 **11 hrs/20 min/03 sec**

Surprisingly enough, Krogan-made machinery handled _very_ well. Fredrick observed the harsh wasteland that surrounded the highway from the safety of his gunner seat. What had once been a sprawling metropolis, albeit a technologically inferior on, was now reduced to rubble and ruin by wars and the sands of time. "To think that Mankind could've ended up like this at some point in history is still a terrifying thought to me," commented over the roar of the engine.

"Really?" Thane yelled back. "Care to tell?"

"It was a fifty-cycle standoff known as the Cold War. Two groups of superpowers were armed to the teeth with nuclear devices and had very conflicting ideas of government. There were a string of conflicts 'between' the two, but neither could field forces at the same time. Usually one side would be present while the other would fund the resistance. Overall, it could have easily boiled over into a third global conflict, resulting in a lot of nuclear launches," Zaeed added. "Needless to say there were, and still are, enough nuclear weapons on Earth to reduce the rock to little more than a cluster of ash and dust."

"Good to know crisis averted. Would've been horrendous waste of life," Mordin commented.

 _"Heads up back there, we're approaching the Weyrloc camp. I'll stay parked out here, but I'd suggest you get in there and get out as soon as possible. These things are very valuable out here on Tachunka,"_ the driver alerted over the internal intercom.

As the vehicle came to a halt, Zaeed opened up the exit hatch to allow them to exit the vehicle. After exiting the cave they halted in, they were met by small clusters of the local wildlife, mostly Varren. As they made their way towards the highway, they were met by Vorcha standing guard. As one rushed forward with a flame thrower, Fredrick swiftly aimed at the nozzle connecting the weapon to the gas tank on the Vorcha's back, causing the mercenary to explode in a glorious fireball. "Whoever armed these guys obviously had no intention of seeing them back anytime soon," Zaeed muttered.

"Indeed. Would you be so kind as to provide me cover so I can get a shot on that Krogan?" Thane commented. Mordin shot a crack into an approaching Krogan's helmet when Thane followed up with a shot from his sniper rifle, instantly killing the Blood Pack soldier. The rest of the initial approach to the hospital went without flaw, as the Vorcha didn't nearly have the arms or armor to defend themselves against their assailants.

Weaving in and out of rubble, the team wiped a small squad of Vorcha at the hospital entrance before entering. Tweaking with the lock, Mordin was the first to peer inside. "Repurposed Krogan hospital. Sturdy. Built to withstand punishment."

"I've generally got a bad experience fighting through hospitals. Mostly concerning the rotting shit that for some reason doctors have a hard time hiding," Zaeed replied.

"We'll get through this quickly." Fredrick made his way through the entrance, only proceeding five meters before finding the corpse of a Human slave. Getting down on his knees, he scanned the victim to determine the cause of death. "I'm counting over a dozen locations of needles incisions on the epidermis, and heavily damaged internal organs. If they aren't riddled with malignant tumors, then they're showing signs of accelerated decay. I estimate that the body is just short of a week old, but the decay suggests almost four times longer. Also, I'm seeing a couple of locations at the ankles and wrists where the victim was clearly restrained. What can you make of this, Mordin?"

"Krogan attempts at curing Genophage. Humans useful as test subjects. Genetically diverse," Mordin followed up.

"But why Humans and not something more readily accessible, like Vorcha or Varren? And wouldn't Humans be incompatible?" Fredrick asked.

"Like I said, Human's are genetically more diverse. More variables to consider. More likely to deal with whatever shortcomings the Genophage may have. However, you are correct. Humans useful for initial stages and concept. However, Varren are better suited for later stages and refinement." Neither men were flinching at the concept of the matter at hand.

"Come on, we'll need more data before we can draw any conclusions about their progress. Let's keep going." They all stood up again and entered the hospital's main lobby. Before them was a small courtyard with pillars supporting the center of a room clustered with metal tanks, and a ramp to the far right leading to a balcony in the back of the room. On the balcony, a door opened, allowing a squad of Krogan and Vorcha to enter.

"I am the speaker of Clan Weyrloc, offworlders! You've spilt our kin's blood, and by right you should be dead!" the leader of the squad yelled. "But Weyrloc Guld, chief of chiefs, has ordered that you be allowed to flee to spread the word of our coming on the condition that Wolf be surrendered!"

"Well, are you going to sit there and bark all day, whelp? Or are you actually going to bite?" Fredrick hissed.

"Walk away now, and the rest of you can tell your children you bore witness to clan Weyrloc before our Blood Pack conquered the stars! The pitiful Urdnot will crumble under our boot! The Salarian will cure the Genophage, and clan Weyrloc will spread across the galaxy on a sea of blood!" the messenger continued.

"Is that so? How about you save your numbers for a rainy day and hand us Maelon? Or we could fight, and I'll paint the floor with your collective innards," Fredrick returned, equally hostile.

"When we cure the Genophage, Weyrloc Guld will rule all Krogan! The Krogan rebellions will becom..." The Krogan's voice faded as Fredrick sank into his inner thoughts. Weyrloc was no more a threat than any other crime syndicate that he'd liquidated. This was no different. His gaze hovered over a tank of flammable gas right below the announcer. "The surviving races will frighten their children wi-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Fredrick drew his side arm and shot off the lock on the gas tank. Startling the Krogan offenders, he followed up with another shot to ignite the gas, engulfing the announcer, causing him to tumble to the floor in pain before rolling over dead. "Know your fucking place, trash!" As much as the lingering desire for vengeance had dissipated, his training from long ago had instilled the need for a good fight in his brain like a drug addiction. Moving like the plague, the remaining Weyrloc forces were stomped out effortlessly.

Exiting through the door on the balcony from which the opposition came, the team entered a small ward. Getting to work on a small monitor, Mordin announced, "Active console. May contain useful data. Cover me." Tapping the keys like gunfire ricocheting off a wall, he broke in before continuing, "Gene sequencing. Hormone mutagen still steady. Protein chains, live tissue, cloned tissue, very thorough. Standard treatment vectors. Avoiding scorched-earth immunosuppressants to alter hormone levels. Maelon has learned well, hate to see that."

"Just as a thought, I must admire your ability to stomach morals, helping to modify a sterility plague," Fredrick commented.

"Had to keep Krogan population stable. One in a thousand. Perfect target, optimal growth. Like gardening," Mordin replied, almost cheerfully.

Fredrick didn't take that light hum nearly so easily. "For someone who cherishes pride in saving lives, you sure take pride in genocide. I know I may treat Batarian lives as lesser, but have the Krogan truly earned your ire to be considered as lesser than the rest of the galactic community?"

"What? No! Murdered no one! Altered fertility via prevention of developing fetal nervous system. I have killed many, Müller. Killed with gunfire, knives, toxins, tech, once with farming equipment. Never with medicine! Thought you would understand! Went on yearly missions to Tachunka to observe and maintain the virus. Would update by applying changes to water supply!" Mordin snapped.

"So why don't you enlighten me? Why not just make the Krogan completely fertile if you're aiming for 'population stability'?"

"I could've. Minor error could lead to complete sterility. Increased mutation to degrade genetic structure. Chose not to. Rachni extinction tragic. Didn't want to repeat. All life precious. Universe demands diversity."

"Mordin, the garbage you're spewing is completely counterintuitive. You're trying to take two points of an argument and it's clearly not working."

Mordin sighed with defeat. "Sometimes hard to sleep. Why I chose to go to Omega. Wanted to heal people. Forget past as old unit were separated during different deployments. Still, had to do what was necessary."

Fredrick raised an eyebrow. "And did that mean leaving a race to rot for eternity in the stone age?"

"State of Tuchanka caused by nuclear winter before first contact, not Genophage. Krogan chose. Refused treaty. Expanded after Rachni wars. Splinter after Genophage. Medical. No craters from virus. Damage by Krogan, not Salarians. Not me."

"So that's it? You're not even willing to take any burden after that wish-wash about Omega? Not the social destruction they've had to undergo for two millennia? It's the constant warring for fertile females or the complete surrender of any and all hope that has prevented the Krogan from rebuilding. Is that somehow not clear enough?" Fredrick continued to remain sadistically calm as he attempted to prod and rile up Mordin.

"Krogan committed war crimes! Refused negotiation! Turians hadn't recovered from prior conflict! Conventional war not an option! Krogan too strong, Genophage only option! Us or them. No apologies for winning," Mordin countered.

"You remind me of my 'father', constantly running his excuses like a broken record set to loop. Come on, we've learned enough here." They didn't travel much further into the ward before encountering another Krogan corpse. This time, it was female and covered on a medical table.

Picking up a datapad from the table, Mordin looked over the details, much to his dismay. "Dead Krogan. Female. Tumors indicate experimentation. No restraint marks. Volunteer. Sterile Weyrloc female willing to risk procedures. Hoped for cure. Pointless. Pointless waste of life."

The Terran made no waste of the opportunity. "So _now_ you break, when you see the physical evidence of the social strain being caused. I've done my homework, so don't doubt my word on this."

Mordin dropped the datapad as he was being taken aback. "What? No! Work on Genophage irrelevant! Causative! Never experimented on live subjects! Never killed with medicine! Her death not my work! Only reaction to it! Goal was only to stabilize population! Never wanted to see this, can see it logically... but still unnecessary. Foolish waste of life."

Now he was at his verge. "Mordin, stop with the fucking excuses! I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to open up about this. You're in the presence of three other highly trained killers, one of which is a genocidal masochist. While I do relate, at least I'm willing to admit my position is indefensible, so why aren't you? You clearly saw this happen! You were there to see the damage done! You went down on a yearly basis for what? A decade? This can't have been any fucking surprise when we came here today. Hell, you said yourself that this was a logical outcome! How do you even remotely justify the pile of corpses you'll clearly see in the bigger picture?!" \

Now the former STG was hyperventilating, repeatedly shaking his head. "I know! I know. Should've realize earlier. Should've mentioned to superiors. But it had to be done. Rachni wars, Krogan rebellion. All pointed to Krogan aggression. So many simulations. Effects of Krogan populace growth. All lead to war, extinction. Genophage or genocide. Save the galaxy from Krogan. Save Krogan from galaxy."

Fredrick reached forth and grabbed the handle on Mordin's chest-plate to draw him near. "Feel free to hide behind whatever statistics you like. I don't know if we even are looking at the same graphs, but let me tell you about the one I've got my eyes on. If someone or something so much as sneezes on the Krogan population-count, it'll shatter into the fucking X-axis. Last time I checked the forecast, there's a big breeze coming along. Now why don't you take a good long time to look at the corpse, Solus. We may not be in a rush now, but we have plenty of time to haul Maelon's ass out of here." Leaving Mordin to stare further at the body, Fredrick's helmet intercom buzzed with an incoming call.

It was Shepard, but she was barely audible over the roar of what sounded like the wind in the background. _M_ _ü_ _ller! In a bit of a position right now. How did you counter Thresher Maw acid attacks?_

"Oh, it's simple. You just ha- wait, where are you right now? Nevermind, you can tell the rest of us later. If you are going to be flinging its acid back at it, you can't just catch it in mid air with your biotics. You have to slingshot it, maintain its original momentum using centrifugal force," Fredrick responded with a pause of dismay.

 _Got it. Grunt is going through a rite to adulthood, and we're supposed to fight off a few waves of hostiles to earn it. Grunt, stick to cover!_

* * *

 **11 hrs/50 min/31 sec**

Chief Weyrloc Guld went flying through the doors behind him, breaking them off their rails, before coming to a crashing halt against the wall. His helmet's seal had broken, causing the useless piece of metal to fly off on impact. His vision became blurry, and his eyes dashed back and forth for his claymore shotgun. Looking to his right, he could barely make out the distorted shape. Feeling his way over to the weapon, it was nearly in reach when force to his left thrusted him against the wall. Yelping in pain, he suddenly felt the hot, metal barrel of a gun in his mouth.

After rescuing the previously mentioned Urdnot scout and convincing him to haul his ass back to the Urdnot camp, Fredrick and the other three made their way into another stairwell, clearing out the few Krogan and Vorcha that remained. At the bottom floor, a Krogan battlemaster in big, bulky, gray armor with red stripes bursted through the door onward to challenge them. However, Weyrloc Guld was like any other animal: big and stupid. Taking advantage of the Krogan's heavy, wasteful attacks, Fredrick heavily weakened the warlord before tossing him through the door he came from. With Guld at his mercy, he shoved the Krogan against the wall with his boot, and stuck the end of his rifle in his gaping maw before pulling the trigger, splattering Guld's brains against his hump.

Making their way down another level, Fredrick took cover behind a locked door, while he used his augmented vision to peer inside. Surprisingly, there was only one person alive in the medical ward. Cautiously stepping in, he and the other three were greeted by the sight of a Salarian working with a large screen at the end of the row of medical beds. The Salarian was working in a white, medical outfit as opposed to STG armor undergarments or a convict's outfit. With the same level of surprise, Mordin commented, "Maelon. Alive. Unharmed. No signs of torture. No signs of restraint. Don't understand."

"For such a smart man, you always had trouble seeing evidence that conflicted with your preconceptions, professor. How long will it take you this time? I'll even give you a hint – I'm here because I want to be," Maelon mocked as he turned to face them.

"Okay Mordin, the writing is on the wall. Let's see how you take this," Fredrick continued, maintaining the mockery.

"What? Impossible! Whole team agreed! Project necessary!" Mordin denied.

"How was I supposed to say 'no' to the great Dr. Solus! I was your student! I looked up to you!" Maelon continued.

"Experiments performed here, live subjects, torture, executions. Your doing?!" Mordin continued, barely able to contain his shock.

"Has anything we've done been any better?! For years, we've been praised as war heroes when we are truly nothing more than the 'savages' we seek to oppress! The least _I_ can do is go forth with what you couldn't even muster yourself to do! To set things _right_!" Based on Maelon's biometrics, the former protege was entirely in his right mind: no dilation of irises, correct neuron firing sequences, or irrational muscle firing to be seen.

"And the experiments! Your justification?" Fredrick had never seen the Salarian professor be so angry before.

"Our hand are permanently coated in Krogan blood, just like the last several hundred teams of STG that have come to this planet! You taught me that the ends justify the means. Even if it means wading knee deep in the blood of a few hundred, I will save millions the only way you've shown me how! All I had to do was ask them!"

"And the consequences of Krogan expansion? You know as well as I do!"

"Is the galaxy any safer because of our intervention? Are there not still pirates and slavers roaming the traverse? What if they had recovered? Would the events on Eden Prime or the Citadel Station two years ago have happened if they were allowed to reintegrate with the community instead of being forever left to stew in their regret of us?! Is this a more peaceful universe?! If anything, we've rubbed acid in the galaxy's wounds! Krogan are constantly at war for fertile females! They become mercenaries and bounty hunters because they see no alternative in life! I thought I knew you, Solus! I thought you had better insight than this!"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, there's clearly a solution you're not seeing here," Fredrick injected.

"Of course, Müller. I realize. Must end it. Can't proceed further," Mordin replied. This was not what Fredrick had in mind.

Maelon drew a pistol and held the four of them at gun point. "You just aren't willing to face the truth, can you? You can't face how your 'brilliant' mind led you to commit an atrocit-!"

When Maelon temporarily looked away, Mordin dashed forward and pinned his former protege against the screen with his own gun pressed against the his temple. "Unacceptable experiments. Unacceptable goals. Won't change. No choice. Have to kill you."

As Maelon shut his eyes one last time, the sound of a gunshot rang through the room.

As Maelon opened his eyes again, he saw that Mordin's gun had collapsed into a pile of melted scrap, with Fredrick drawing his own pistol, shooting between the two to disarm the professor. "This wasn't the solution I had in mind, Mordin. I thought you were looking for redemption. It starts with one death avoided."

Gasping and dropping what remained of his weapon to the ground, Mordin started, "I- Not a murderer. You're right, Müller. Thank you. I'm sorry." As he stepped away, Mordin continued, "Finished, Maelon. Project over. Weyrloc presence gone. Get out."

"Actually, I had something else in mind," Fredrick started. "Mordin, I'll leave you for a moment to contemplate things. I'd like to speak with Maelon in privacy."

Exiting the ward, Maelon started, "For a reputation of your type, I'm surprised that you're nearly so... forgiving."

"Desperate times require a more cautious eye on resource management. Besides, I had a different use for you in mind besides 'leftover evidence'. You've heard about the 'Reapers' I assume?" Fredrick started as he holstered his pistol.

"Yes, the Dalatress debriefed me concerning the threat of the matter after my mission to Ilos: the case on the Citadel was an isolated threat, but we both know that's clearly not true. They're out there, and we're not prepared."

"Excellent. I admire your desire to see this project through, and we'll need as much help as we can physically muster when more of Nazara finally arrive. I'll be contacting my superiors and be telling them to pick you up on the Citadel and provide you the necessary resources to see this through."

"You- really?"

"Well, without the heavy emphasis on kidnapped test subjects and dangerous experiments, but yes. I want to see to it a cure for the Genophage is created. Besides, even if we do survive the war, the affects of the conflict will only send the remaining Krogan population into a death spiral."

"I- I don't know what to say. Thank you. You forever hold my gratitude."

* * *

 **Sept 8, 2185**

 **18 hrs/06 hrs/36 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **, Citadel Station, Widow Nebula**

"I'm still surprised really decided to let him go." Thane sat at the table with Mordin, Fredrick, and Zaeed as the three ate dinner together. "Seeing your behavior at the time, I thought you'd be more inclined to act... more out of passion than reason."

"I know. And I have all three of you to thank," Mordin replied.

"So, when do we get to see your new armor, Fred? I saw that crate you brought in from your old friends," Zaeed asked.

Fredrick had received a new set of armor from Ivan as a good-luck gift from a new line of spec-ops set of armor. Along with switching the white with black, the visor was switched from bronze to deep red, the suit came with an integral cloaking device and battery charger, and had specialized gauntlets to allow nanites to be fired off like ballistic knives. "The goodbye present? I'll be putting it on the next time we go out. I like the white on my old set though, even with the 'tactical impracticalities' it provides." After another bite, Fredrick turned his gaze to Thane to ask, "How's your relationship with your son, Krios?"

"Broken, but slowly mending. We're in contact with each other, and he says he'll be working at C-Sec in the future," the Drell assassin answered.

"That's great to hear. Sorry about how I acted that last time you entered the medbay. I don't want to suggest anything too fast, but how about I treat you to getting a new set of lungs after the suicide mission?" Fredrick continued.

Raising an eyebrow, Thane asked, "I don't understand. You're already presuming that I'll live to see the end of this mission."

"Yeah, but... lemme be honest with you, Thane. Once upon a time, I wanted to have a family, away from playing soldier, maybe pickup my ability as a doctor for a living. Of course, the Harvesters put a halt to that thought, but even then, I want to pursue that once all is said and done. The fact you still have a son... I... I'm honestly jealous, and I want to see to it this lasts longer than what our lives imply," Fredrick said. "Hell, most of us just want a normal life, but don't have the opportunity to pick up on it. Like Zaeed. Sorry to drag you in on this, Massani, but don't you have a kid of your own?"

"Bain? He's signed up to head off to Andromeda. Even if we survive, I'm afraid I won't get the opportunity to say one last 'I'm sorry'," Zaeed said, looking down at his plate.

Mordin nodded with encouragement. "Still. Worth a shot. Was thinking about my nephew. Said he-"

"Scooch." Jack was standing by their table with a cafeteria tray of food.

"Find somewhere else, Jack. Old people are talking, you wouldn't understand a damn thing," Fredrick retorted.

"Yeah, fuck you too," Jack said, stomping off to another table.

* * *

 **14 hrs/24 min/40 sec**

It was a seedy cafe, but it was away from the prying eyes of C-Sec. Miranda sat alone at a table with a coffee in her hands, and the medical cooler in the other. She was wearing her hoodie and jeans as opposed to her Cerberus Operative outfit provided by the Illusive Man. Her eyes swung back and forth, looking for-

"Sorry I'm late. Did you get the data, and are you sure he isn't following us?" Nolan walked out of the crowd, and pulled the other chair at the table back to sit at.

"Relax, I saw him head off to the _Sokol_ to get the new suit. He wouldn't think to come here anyways. The device is back in the cooler, just like you asked," Miranda reassured.

Peering inside, Nolan nodded before taking off his helmet and taking out his omnitool. "There are the additional funds Lauren had promised. Hope you put them to good use."

"Don't worry, they'll be spent on upgrades and equipment for the _Normandy_. Do you think it'll be anything problematic?" Miranda returned as she peered onto her own omnitool to see that the payment passed.

"Most likely. This is an isolated case. No one else is experiencing from the issues he's been having. And given the changes we've recently had to the neural hub, we're all expecting the worst, and have literally nothing to hope for," Nolan replied.


	11. Chapter 11: Brothers and Sisters in Arms

(A/N): Like has been the case with many of the side quests in ME1, I'll be trying to skim over the remaining loyalty missions as quickly as possible before moving on to the "Derelict" Reaper mission.

Chapter 11: Brothers and Sisters in Arms

 _I've come to respect everyone on this ship, the Cerberus crew included. Each one is like a book, chapter and verse to what led them here, even the morally 'questionable' actions. Even if it feels like the galaxy is collapsing faster than it had been on the first_ Normandy _, it almost brings an air of tranquility, knowing that every nightmare encountered from here on out will be short and fast, that pain is only temporary. And with a collective adrenaline rush, we go forth like a raging storm: fearless and unstoppable against an enemy that claims to be godly and invincible. With all that is at stake, we all have a single goal in sight: Harbinger is getting more than he bargained for._

* * *

 **Sept 4, 2185**

 **16 hrs/21 min/30 sec**

 **Eldfeld-Ashland Refinery, Zorya, Faia System, Ismar Frontier**

Fredrick wanted Blue Suns co-founder Vido Santiago dead as much as Zaeed did. While he lacked the personal dirt with the mercenary leader Massani had, he had enough of a chip on his shoulder to want the man dead. While the Blue Suns were mostly a "private security" outfit, they still carried on with smuggling and slave trading like plenty of other syndicates within the Terminus did. Santiago himself was the brain of the group, and was the piece that made the Blue Suns an actual force to be reckoned with. Cutting Vido out of the scene could easily mean turning the Blue Suns into a directionless collective of guys with guns and armor, leaving them relatively vulnerable to the Harvesters later on.

Initially, the mission went very well as they transversed the surrounding jungles, clearing out a few patrol squads before they retreated. The main problem arose when they got to the facility, which was filled with unwilling labor and Human shields. Now that Massani was shooting up the place, causing the various gas tanks to explode, Linda was once again jumping on Massani's case. "We _don't_ sacrifice lives for the mission! There are always ways to find an alternative path!"

"Christ, have you been like this for everyone else? We don't have time to wander the jungles for hours on end looking for a viable entrance! You want to waste time, go ahead. I'm. Killing. _Vido_!" Massani returned as he began to trudge through the smoldering ruins.

Grabbing his shoulder and slugging him across the face, Linda had enough of Zaeed's need for revenge. "You've endangered lives and the mission just to get at revenge ever-so-slightly faster. Now we have a facility full of people to save!"

"Are we really going to-?"

"ENOUGH!" Fredrick interrupted. "The rest of you go after Vido, I'll go find a way to shut off the fires! I'll provide support fire when I can." Shepard and Massani gave one last annoyed glance before they continued through the facility. With little effort, he jumped onto a balcony above now engulfed in flames after Zaeed shot the pipes. "What a fucking mess. Zaeed owes me a beer after this," he muttered as he took a step into the flames, nanite shield engaged.

* * *

 **Sept 6, 2185**

 **11 hrs/29 min/36 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula**

"There, now you owe me two beers you ass. Try and not get blown to hell by a gunship?" Fredrick commented, finishing up with the last of Zaeed's burns from two days prior.

"I thought Vakarian made it pretty apparent that avoiding getting shot by a gunship is easier said than done." Stumbling out, Zaeed was no in civies and had patches of his torso covered in bandages.

"That means you were an idiot and weren't even trying." As he tried to sit back down on his footlocker, he noticeably bumped into some unseen force. "Oh. Hellos Ms. Goto. I didn't see you there."

Decloaking, the Japanese thief revealed herself, crouched on top of the locker. Instead of her usual black suit and hood with white stripes, the black was now switched with maroon that she acquired after Linda had helped her with a personal matter in the current system. He somewhat felt guilty for not having talked with the thief as much as he should've given the duration of the mission. "Hello Dr. Müller. It's just Kasumi to you."

"If you want to drop formalities, then just 'Fred' will do. Enjoying the view?" he continued.

Rising to her feet, she pulled out a small, dark chrome, metal box from her suit pocket and held it in her hands. "No, that's what Jacob is for. Shepard helped me retrieve all that was left of an... accomplice... of mine. His name was Keiji Okuda. All of his memories and thoughts collected in a little box. After I heard what happened back on Illium, I thought maybe I should pass by once we got a chance to retrieve him. Talk a little bit."

"Well, I'm no psychiatrist, but I'll see what I can do. What do you need from me?" Fredrick inquired further.

Looking up from her hands, Kasumi asked, "How do you move on? I've tried forgetting him, but things in my life eventually come full circle, and I'm faced with the void he's left in my life. You know what I'm talking about, right? I just wish I could forget the pain."

Her words struck him hard. He liked to ignore it, but it was her words basically summed up his personal life for the last century. "To be fair, I never moved on from my case either. But I'll still tell you what I know. If the two of you were emotionally connected, chances are you he loved you as much as you loved him. May I ask how he died?"

"He stayed behind, allowed me to escape while he died."

"Then he really did care for you. He wanted you to live, he wanted you to be happy. To really honor him, I believe he would find peace if you moved on, found happiness and love elsewhere. Not to feel pain for his absence," Fredrick explained.

Her gaze shifted down to Keiji's graybox, with light tears visibly streaking down her shadowy, hooded face. "That's good to hear. Thank you doctor. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe Jacob's still in the shower." Without another word, she cloaked, and left through the medbay door.

"I can still see you, Kasumi. You know, the augmented vision?"

* * *

 **Sept 9, 2185**

 **13 hrs/53 min/18 sec Local Time**

 _ **Rayya**_ **, Migrant Fleet, Raheel-Leyya, Vallhallan Trheshold**

As one of the original _Normandy_ and a member of such an self-sufficient species, Fredrick had great respect for Tali. When he heard that she was being tried for Treason, he immediately took the chance to return to the Quarian Flotilla. There was something genuinely appealing about how their entire race lived out of the ships within the fleet, using every space to its fullest. While it was cramped at times and there was little-to-no privacy between individuals, it was something to be proud of. He was all the more willing to arise to her defense.

As they exited the _Normandy_ , a crew of marines awaited them outside of the docking bay for a security check, given the vessel was registered as a Cerberus vessel. On their way to the court room, Linda, Garrus, Tali, and Fredrick were given very little implication as to what Tali was being tried for, except that she was guilty of sending pieces of active Geth to the Migrant Fleet for a secret project. Despite claims, Tali said she never sent back active Geth, only bits and pieces in such a way that they couldn't naturally reactivate.

The odds of coming away clean seemed to sharply reduce when the squad met with Tali's aunt, Admiral Shala'Raan. Instead of referring to Tali by her birth name, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, the court had prematurely decided to deem her as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, already implying that Tali was as good as exiled for treason. Furthermore, defense was laid upon Shepard as the captain of the ship Tali was on. Proceeding with the trial, the courtroom was located in a garden-like area with greenery surrounding a rectangular pantheon in the center of the room.

The other Admirals had mixed feelings towards a Turian, a Human, and a Terran acting in Tali's defense opposed to another Quarian. The brief argument made Tali increasingly nervous as the case proceeded. "You are accused of bringing active Geth aboard the Migrant Fleet. What say you?"

"How could Tali possibly be responsible for sending active Geth? She's thoroughly checked the parts and sent only pieces of Geth which couldn't possibly have reactivated on its own," Linda returned.

Admiral Koris, who originally brought up the objection to having the _Normandy_ crew act in Tali's defense, seemed to be content in having Tali exiled. "Then explain how the Geth have taken the ship your father was working on!" he exclaimed.

Needless to say, that bombshell caught the court off-guard. "What are you talking about? What happened?!" Tali asked, worry bubbling in her throat.

Admiral Gerrel, who denied the objection to have the _Normandy_ crew act in Tali's defense, was more inclined to defend Tali. Keeping his neutral tone, he explained, "A week prior, reports coming out of the _Alarei_ have alerted us to a Geth outbreak. As far as we can tell, the Geth have killed everyone aboard, your father included."

Stepping up, Shepard said, "I appreciate the need for this trial, Admirals, but the safety of the Migrant Fleet is our first priority. We would like permission to investigate and liberate the Alarei, and we stand ready to assist with whatever the Migrant Fleet needs."

"We've sent numerous marines aboard the _Alarei_ , with little success. However, if you feel you are capable of turning the tables in your own favor, we would appreciate the assistance," Admiral Raan claimed.

"Along with Tali, the three of us are very experienced in combating Geth forces. I'm confident we'll make it back in once piece," Fredrick added.

"The safest course of action would simply be to destroy the Alarei. However, if you're looking for an honorable death opposed to exile-" Admiral Koris started.

"I'm looking for my father you bosh'tet!" Tali interrupted.

Admiral Xen was, like Raan, a neutral voice in the trial. "Enough! We can provide a shuttle to the _Alarei_ and temporary leave to do so for Tali to see to it the ship is retaken. However, I reinforce Raan's original statement that this will be a dangerous task, as all our marine teams have been unable to retake the ship," she said, in an attempt to cease the argument.

"And reinforcing Colonel Müller's point from earlier, it shouldn't be anything we haven't faced before on that ship. The fact that there are four of us along for this already tilts the odds in our favor. And for the sake of the Migrant Fleet and Tali's well being, we're willing to retake the _Alarei_ on our own," Linda continued.

"Agreed," Admiral Gerrel replied. "And if you do die during this mission, Tali, we'll see that your name is cleared of these charges."

"Then it is decided. You will attempt to retake the _Alarei_. You are hereby given leave to depart the Rayya. A shuttle will be waiting for you at dock 18. Until your return or confirmation of your death, Tali, this trial is put on hold," Raan concluded.

* * *

 **14 hrs/25 min/30 sec**

After a heated conversation between Tali and her aunt, followed by a series of conversations between Linda and the admirals concerning their perspectives on the trial, the Geth, and general infighting between them, the team entered the shuttle at dock 18 and made their way to the Geth-controlled lab ship. While boarding a ship full of Geth was fun and nostalgic, Fredrick was less than excited when Linda had him cut through Quarian firewalls to get at possible research and upgrades.

Groaning with pain and slowly getting back onto his feet, Fredrick reminded, "Shepard, I may not take nearly as long to recover as I used to, but this is still a painful and risky maneuver. Besides, we clearly have Tali, who is much more likely capable of having avoided setting off the firewall in the first place."

"Relax. You said it yourself, there wasn't any permanent damage being done. You'll live," Linda chastised as she looked over the data on her omnitool.

"I'll relax when you start finding caches worth more than a few thousand creds." Making their way towards the _Alarei_ 's bridge, it became readily apparent that Rael'Zorah, Tali's Father, had rushed the progress of the project, giving a group of reconstructed Geth an opportunity to take the ship once enough units were integrated with the system. In the long run, Rael's crew were looking for Geth countermeasures, possibly for future plans on retaking the Quarian homeworld.

As much as Shepard may have objected to the idea, prompting for the possibility of searching for another homeworld, Tali claimed that retaking Rannoch would be much easier on Quarian immune systems, as the Quarians were already more evolved for the given habitat. The mission hit particularly hard when the team encountered a dead Quarian male in red with golden trim. "Father!" Tali cried, rushing forward the the corpse's side.

As Linda went along side the crying Quarian to comfort her, Fredrick was left dazed. Seeing the now adult and dead Rael'Zorah put his own life into perspective. The galaxy aged while he stood in place like a mountain, physically feeling the frames of reference slide by. Tinkering with Rael's omnitool, Tali discovered a recording from the late admiral. _Tali. By the time you hear this, I'll be dead. The Geth have gone active and have taken this ship, so I don't have much time. Their main central hub will be on the bridge. You will have to go up there and destroy it to stop their VI from developing new neural links. Please make sure that Han'Gerrel and Daro'Xen see the data. They must-_

The recording was cut short as an explosion rung in the background before cutting to static. "He knew you were coming. It may not have been what you asked, but he wanted to help," Shepard assured.

Shaking her head, Tali responded, "I don't know what's worse: that he didn't care or that he did, but this was the only way he knew how to show it. Either way, I cared, and this ends here." The team proceeded to the bridge for one final confrontation with two Geth troops and a Juggernaut, they dismantled the onboard Geth VI, deactivating any remaining Geth on board before proceeding to pull up what remaining files there were. Tali was now on the verge of tears at the revelation of what had happened with her father's work. At some point during her childhood, Rael promised her he would fight with every bit of effort to eventually build her a house back on Rannoch, free from the Geth. Unfortunately, his rush to keep his promise could easily deem him a traitor, having his name removed from all ships he had served on, and put posthumously to shame.

Promising to prevent such from happening, the team returned to the shuttle and made their way back to the Rayya. Only an hour after leaving, it quickly became clear that the other admirals had already presumed them KIA, and Koris was already suggesting of having Tali exiled regardless. Tali looked on nervously as the admirals asked for evidence that would shed light on the Geth outbreak. Palming his visor with exasperation, Fredrick sighed, "My god, this is pointless..."

"Continuing on the colonel's point, this trial _is_ pointless!" Shepard started. "This isn't about Tali, it's about the _Geth_! Admiral Xen wants to control them, Admiral Gerrel wants to destroy them, and Admiral Koris wants to make peace with them! Tali knows more about the Geth first hand than any Quarian alive today, and you are all doing yourselves a disservice by having her exiled! She saved the Citadel, she saved the Alarei, and has solely shown the galaxy the value the Quarian people present! _That's_ the evidence we have."

Followed by a deafening silence, Admiral Raan prompted, "Are the admirals prepared to render their judgement?" As each admiral put forth their vote, Raan continued, "Tali'Zorah, in light of your service, this court finds insufficient evidence for the claims concerning your treason. You have been exonerate from the charges presented. Captain Shepard, we appreciate your efforts to represent one of our people in the court of law."

Nodding, Linda returned, "Thank you. I just hope that your survival doesn't come down to another all-out conflict with the Geth."

* * *

 **Sept 9, 2185**

 **15 hrs/46 min/30 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **bridge, docked at Omega Station, Sahrabarik System, Omega Nebula**

After Tali's trial, all that was left to deal with before moving onto the Derelict Reaper was helping Samara with some family matters. The convict she was pursuing on Illium was her daughter: an Ardat Yakshi. Fredrick was familiar with the genetically defective Asari, and was no stranger to the deaths they caused when they melded with their victims. He'd experienced a few run-ins with a few Ardat Yakshi, prompting the need for an update to medical scanners to detect the defect. Walking up the bridge to the boarding plank, he decided it was time to put on the new spec-ops suit, feeling it would be safer to walk about Omega as someone less recognizable. "Jeeze, Freddy, glad that's you in that suit. You look... terrifying..."

"I know. Black just isn't my style either," Fredrick responded as he put the black helmet on, finally viewing through the red visor.

"And yet you still wear it," Samara pointed out.

"Yeah, well, ever since we were on Illium to recruit you and Thane, it's been apparent to me that every mercenary faction out there wants my head on a platter. And if I really am going to be shopping in the lion's den, I should probably make myself less recognizable." Fredrick cleared his throat before asking Joker using an imitation of the pilot's voice, "Hopefully you won't mind?"

Joker widened his eyes in surprise. "I thought the commander was lying when she said you pulled that off during Grunt's pickup."

"They're mostly for trans-species communication without the need for translators, but they have alternative purposes. Hey, maybe we could pull off a few prank calls after this is all done?" Fredrick returned.

A devious grin grew on Joker's face. "Now _those_ are words I can back!"

With a few hundred thousand credits, Fredrick was ordered to look around the local marketplaces for weapon upgrades, armor upgrades, and extra equipment before having them shipped back to the _Normandy_. It was at least comforting so far that no one was calling him out, noting him as someone besides a renown Terran soldier, infamous across the Terminus. Entering a tech store, he encountered the Quarian and Batarian store owner being hassled by a squad of Blood Pack. The Quarian was held at gunpoint by a Vorcha while a Krogan had his hand wrapped snuggly around the Batarian's neck. "Your shipment is late," a Krogan growled.

"Please! The colony that was shipping the goods has just went dark! I tried calling them all morning, and they haven't picked up! Just give me another day to figure out what happened to them! For all I know they disappeared like all the others!" the owner begged between gasps.

The Krogan just chuckled. "Funny. I didn't think that Batarians cared about Human affairs."

"Can I actually buy something, or will I have to wait in line some more?" Fredrick interrupted.

"Get out of here, Terran! This doesn't concern you!" an Asari in uniform barked.

"Actually, I've got money and I'm looking to buy some hardware. Chances are, that shipment is never coming, so stop wasting my time and go get shit-faced." He wasn't usually willing to act in defense of Batarians, but this just might be one of the few exceptions.

An Turian walked into view from around a shelf with pistol drawn and trained at his head. "How about you scamper like a Varren before your corpse ends up in the ditch? I'm sure the Wolf would like to know he's not welcome here anymore. Or, maybe he'll come by and see what happened. We'll have a nice surprise party waiting for him."

"Unlikely." Raising his right arm, Fredrick shot a nanite blade through the Turian's head, pinning him to the wall behind the Quarian. Using his biotics, he yanked the Asari towards him, impaling her on another nanite blade extended from his left arm before tossing her body aside. Drawing his rifle, he executed the Vorcha with a clean headshot and chipped the Krogan's shields away before directing multiple haymakers to the sides of his opponent's head.

Massaging his neck, the Batarian was helped up by the Quarian as he replied, "Thanks, Terran. I didn't think it was possible for someone like you to come to my aid."

"Considering who I am, I could always use a few less people who want me dead. Anyways, what are your wares?" Fredrick spent about fifteen minutes sifting through the shop's stock before making a few purchases. On his way out, he encountered a dozen mercs wearing Aria's emblem.

"Hey, it's your lucky day," a Human started. "You've just been invited by Aria herself. She's expecting you at Afterlife. Namely, her throne."

"Last time I checked, I was clean."

"Don't worry, she only wants to talk," a Salarian inserted. "Still, she doesn't like being forced to wait."

"Then by all means, I'll make my way over there." Fredrick often avoided the Afterlife club for fear of encountering individuals who found ill favor with him. It was more the fear of public humiliation, being dragged away after being incapacitated by a few thugs. He'd rather it happened in some seedy back alley away from the public, his disappearance being shroud in rumors. Needless to say, the club and it's dark ambiance outlined by neon lighting with screens of flame and dancers was an entertaining scene. The entrance of the club opened up into a large chamber with the border lined with balconies and booths. Getting closer to the center of the room, was a ring composing of dancers, bars, and other doorways, with the center of the chamber being occupied by a dance floor, an elevated platform of dancers, and a pillar of screens stretching between the upper and lower levels of the club. At the very back was a set of stairs leading up to a main balcony overlooking the heart of the club, where Aria T'Loak, the de facto queen of Omega Station, often resided during the day.

Making his way up the stairs, her entourage of guards watched him approach, with arms drawn and in the open. Turning, the purple Asari in her usual kingpin dress approached him with arms open in a greeting manner and a friendly smile to top it off. "The one and only Wolf. How nice you decided to come on by!"

"I see the ploy hasn't exactly worked," he replied with slight discomfort.

"Pff, please. I'm not _that_ stupid. I keep my eyes firmly on the _Normandy_ , and last time I checked, only one Terran actually went on. Besides, most others don't have your... _natural_ need for blood and destruction. Please, have a seat."

As he reverted his voice back to normal, he could help but notice how the end of the prior sentence was almost like a harsh whisper. "I'm surprised you invited me up. Is it to thank me for cleaning up competition? I noted that despite having worn the same armor through this sector for the last century, you haven't sent your guards in to tear me apart every time I visit."

"Why would I? Like you said, you've helped to rid me of competition. It would be a disservice to me to kill you. Besides, I like your style, _Wolf_. You just love that name, don't you? It perfectly describes your voracious consumption of life and limb. Not stopping until you've had your fill. Women look for that sort of thing, you know," Aria returned, with a sultry smile.

"Whether you're looking for a pet or a lover, I'm going to have to disappoint you on both fronts," Fredrick replied. He hadn't made any attempt to reenter the dating scene, and wasn't used to the tingling sensation that one would get when one was pursued by another when they clearly lacked interest.

With a disappointed hum and a light squint, Aria continued, "Still, if you're out of luck, just know I'll still be here. Looking for someone to sit with me on the throne."

Whether, it was in leather straps or in actual civies, he wasn't interested. "Well, you clearly didn't call me up to ask for a date."

"Well, when Shepard mentioned the Collectors' ties to the Reapers, I couldn't help but want to know more; see how far down the roots go. You're clearly well informed about them, more than the fools in the council are willing to let in on. What are they really?" Aria inquired.

"Unless the others are really still pissing themselves over the odds, the Harvesters are a series of semi-organic, sentient dreadnoughts that seek to preserve by causing destruction. It's basically the worst case of right-concept-bad-implementation, and if we are going to beat them, we'd better view them as such," Fredrick answered. "Additionally, they are capable of brainwashing by damaging an individual's brain with various frequencies, so do be careful who you trust. Or, call me in and I'll diagnose whomever you find suspicious."

"Fair enough. I like my place, so do keep up the good work. I'll be waiting patiently to see if you come out of the Omega 4 Relay alive. Anyways, Shepard came through here earlier, so I should no doubt let you go to catch up," Aria finished.

With that, he rose from his seat and calmly made his way back to the _Normandy_ after readjusting his vocal cords. Meeting up with Linda, Garrus, Samara, and Mordin, the five of them made their way back through the docking tube. "How did it go?" he prompted.

"Samara used Shepard as bait to draw her daughter out," Garrus answered.

"Garrus, relax. I survived, didn't I?" Linda reminded.

"Anyways, I bought what was needed. I even found something that was Jack's size," Fredrick interrupted.

"Good. We'll be heading out to the Hawking Eta tonight, and we'll retrieve the Reaper IFF from what's left of the Cerberus science team there tomorrow morning," Linda returned. "A little boost would be nice for whatever's waiting for us. Given what the rest of us know about the Illusive Man, and what you know about him in person, I'm not all too enthusiastic about it."


	12. Chapter 12: The Gaping Maw

(A/N): There were moments when I wished I could bring Legion in earlier, but it would almost defeat the purpose of Fredrick's presence in ME1. Also, I couldn't find a way in which he would be introduced without being cut down by accident by the original crew. Sure, there were plenty of opportunities where he could've walked in and proposed a combined operation between the Systems Alliance and the Resisting Geth, but I felt it would somewhat ruin the revelation later in the story during ME2.

Chapter 12: The Gaping Maw

 _What did Saren think when he entered one of these bastards? Did he feel their tendrils wrap around his mind? Or was it more subtle, waiting for him till he was too far in before trapping him? Even as I walk through, I just know that not destroying these things down to molecular level is just not enough. Until they are, or whatever weakness that ties their intellect to a collective center is reduced to dust, I'll never feel confident in saying, "we beat the Harvesters." Not until I am or stand by the individual who drives the blade through the corrupt heart of these monstrosities._

* * *

 **Sept 10, 2185**

 **09 hrs/05 min/16 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **bridge, Mnemosyne's orbit, Thorne System, Hawking Eta**

As the ship traveled through the heavy drafts of Mnemosyne's orbit, both she and the colonel were both behind Joker as they approached the "dead" Reaper. None of them had ever been physically this close to one of the monstrosities, not even Fredrick. While his helmet was still off, she couldn't help but notice the nervous stare he had on his face. It made sense too if he really tangled with the Reapers enough that they'd now want him dead, and dragging him along for the next mission wasn't helping his mood. To be fair, she felt scared too considering that the Reapers had targeted both of them.

Suddenly, the turbulence ceased before Joker turned to the two of them to say, "We just entered the mass effect fields, or what's left of them. Also, the radar is picking up another ship alongside the Reaper, aft-side. It isn't transmitting an IFF signal, but the silhouette looks Geth."

"Looks like that's what happened to our Cerberus Science team. Find a place to drop us off and fly dark in case this is another trap. If the Collectors are going to be waiting for us, I want to be ready," Linda ordered. This time, she wouldn't let the Illusive Man play her like a fiddle. This time, she would be bringing two squads of mixed troops between herself and Fredrick. He was hard to control, but he damn well knew what the hell he was doing.

The dock they entered was white and pristine, almost like the lab she initially woke up in when she was finally resurrected by Project Lazarus, until the decontamination cycle ended. The doors opened to reveal smudges of black and gray liquid on the walls with a few corpses lying about. "If Harper were actually smart, he would've devoted a few extra resources to keeping his employees alive. Now he's got a few hundred people dead or turned into s. Wonderful."

"Don't underestimate him. His actions are admittedly questionable sometimes, but he knows what he's doing. In his own mind, anyways," Miranda said, wisps of any desire to defend the Illusive Man finally sputtered into nothingness.

"Still. Personal defense would be a wise choice. Especially within conditions that could potentially be harmful in ways most suits can't protect you from," Thane commented.

"Can debate later. Looking over records. Need to focus." Mordin was taping his omnitool, cutting through Cerberus firewalls to get at some audio logs. As per usual, the day the science team had installed all their equipment, they were slowly being infected, as the environment became confusing, memories were contorted, interpretation of reality was warped, and the dead Harvester they lived on became their god. Due to the dates labeling the recordings, if their brains weren't fried by now, they were close to it. "Clear signs of indoctrination. Can't help them now."

"C'mon, there must be something. You can reverse the damage, can't you colonel?" Jacob replied with dismay.

"To a certain threshold. At some point, their brain is no longer recoverable. That's the short version. I can jeopardize team moral when we get back to the _Normandy_ ," Fredrick responded with equal dismay.

"Well, I'm not ending up like these Cerberus freaks. Let's go," Jack dismissed.

Making their way past the front lobby, they had only approached another air lock before the whole ship shook violently. "Joker, what the hell is going on out there?" Linda barked.

 _The Reaper just put up kinetic barriers! I don't think we can get in from our side,_ Jeff answered.

"I really should stop being surprised by things like this," Fredrick commented.

"Right. EDI, did you pick up anything when the barriers activated?" Linda prompted.

 _I had detected a heat spike in what is likely the wreckage's mass effect core. Sending the coordinates,_ the AI answered. _Be advised: the mass effect core is also what is maintaining the Reaper's orbit, deactivation will result in the structure tumbling into the planet core._

"Well, Joker, if it'll be anyone that will haul our asses out of hell, it'll be you. We're depending on it. Shepard out."

* * *

 **09 hrs/10 min/30 sec**

They didn't make it much further when what was left of the crew started crawling out of every cranny and nook possible, whether it be from over the installed railings, or holes in the ceiling. For every squadmate present, it was incredibly terrifying to think that a previously thought dead structure was alive and well, and had physically consumed the crew, regurgitating them as the synthesized undead. "Thane, keep those explosive s off of the shield and lay down counter-fire on those ranged ones. Jack, throw another shockwave when they start clustering up. Do not, I repeat, _do not_ leave my shield unless absolutely necessary. Grunt, think you can handle the MG?"

"It's not _that_ heavy. It just feels weird. It's the 'ammo' that's killing me." Fredrick felt it was tactically wise to give Grunt the Terran MG to support the rest of the away team. While he lacked the eezo cores to naturally recharge the clips, Fredrick had also brought along a normally stationary generator for the purpose of setting an entrenchment instead of carrying on the move. Due to Grunt's raw strength, he could still carry both the MG and the generator, albeit moving slightly slower than the others.

After leaving the Cerberus-installed infrastructure, the team got a view of the Reaper interior. The insides almost resembled that of any cadaver, except all the internal organs had been removed and replaced with layers upon layers of synthetic tubes. Fredrick could almost understand how the crew turned so quickly, being thrown into an environment of the familiar poorly mixed with something so alien, one could not mentally prepare for such a scene. As they approached the end of a catwalk, the could hear distant gunfire. The air was pierced by the sound of two consecutive sniper shots, followed by a couple of dismembered husks. "Heads up! We've got Geth sharpshooters!" Fredrick alerted.

Peaking the corner, Jacob noted, "Wherever they are, they're taking their time to pop my dome off. Coast looks clear."

Moving forward, the team entered what looked to have been a storage room, with all the crates moved to the sides. Now, the area was mostly an empty platform, facing a chasm with decaying Human corpses on spikes. Surviving another wave of the undead, Fredrick took a closer look at the spikes. "Shit. More spikes. Question is, did they put themselves on, or did the Geth help?"

"I'm more concerned with the layout," Linda started. "Given by how the supplies were cleared out of here, I'd wager that this platform was used as an alter, and that those poor bastards on the spikes were sacrifices."

"Didn't the Geth worship them as well? Seeing the Reapers as gods of some sort?" Garrus asked.

"We mustn't linger. We should go get that IFF," Miranda said, starting to look very pale. The team entered another air lock exiting the room. Walking out to the exterior of the ship, the environment was maintained by the Reaper's kinetic barriers. Additionally, the whole team was met with a strange sight.

Outside, a team of Geth units were pushing their way through waves of husks in the distance, and were gradually being overwhelmed. Overhead was a single Geth sniper providing cover fire from a balcony. The sniper had a distinct hole through its chest and a set of old N7 armor plates welded onto its right shoulder. As a husk approached the sniper outside of its peripheral vision, before Thane unexpectedly shot the husk's head clean off. Turning to search for the source of the shot, the Geth sniper turned to face Shepard's team. While in the synthesized voice of the Geth, the sniper uttered, "Shepard Commander!" It continued to stare for a moment before its attention was drawn back to its companions, hustling down the catwalk to catch up.

"I don't exactly recall Geth being able to communicate utilizing organic speech. Was I not paying attention the first time around?" Fredrick commented.

"Nevermind the flashlight heads, we've got company," Taylor replied, training his shotgun on another group of shambling corpses.

* * *

 **09 hrs/20 min/03 sec**

"I got it!" Garrus exclaimed as he cut through the lock into. The next room the eight of them stepped into was a small medical wing for dealing with workplace injuries that weren't critical. On one of the tables was sitting the IFF, successfully removed from the structure.

"Well, at least they got it, for what it cost to those poor bastards," Fredrick commented as he picked up the small hunk of metal and handed it to Linda.

"I'm still worried about that team of Geth troopers. Where are they now?" Thane openly thought. The question was quickly answered as they entered the next series of tunnels, making their way to the mass effect core. Initially, the opposite side of the door was blocked by a barrier, leaving them to watch as a Geth juggernaut was overwhelmed by a mass of husks. The sniper with the N7 armor quickly turned to fire off a few shots from a dropped Geth sidearm as it continued to work away at a control panel before the mass effect core before being smacked aside by a strong blow from a husk. Whatever the Geth infiltrator did, the shield holding them back finally dropped, letting them in.

"Clear the room, people. Miranda, check if any of these Geth units are still active, I want to know why they are here. Garrus, see if you can help me with the panel, try to get the mass effect core open," Shepard ordered as the team advanced into the chamber. The center catwalk they were on divided the room in to, between two other platforms in the chamber. Holding the middle as Garrus got to work the husks began to heavily swarm over the edges of the platform.

"Careful, Thane. Three at eight o' clock!" Fredrick alerted.

"Shit! Get it off of me!" Fredrick turned to see Jacob being pounced on by a Husk that climbed directly onto the middle catwalk. As it clawed and bit the soldier, he turned to shoot the monstrosity's head off, splattering gray fluid on Jacob's face.

"Dammit! You alright?" Fredrick asked, giving him a hand to yank himself back onto his feet.

"Bastards took a few chunks outta me, but I'll live," Jacob grunted between winces of pain.

"Stand still. Jack, cover me while I get Jacob some medical." It was hard to focus while the area was still heavily contested. "You'll be alright, but I'd like to get a better look at those injuries when we get back to the _Normandy_."

"Grunt, concentrate fire on the exposed eezo core!" Shepard barked between shotgun blasts.

The young Krogan roared as he unleashed a barrage on a blue, pulsating ball of metal within the machinery facing the catwalk. As the core finally crumbled in a brilliant explosion, the whole vessel began to shake as a result. "Shepard, all other units besides this one are destroyed," Miranda reported, pointing to the Geth unit with the N7 shoulder-pad and chest plate.

Jacob turned after finishing off a husk to say, "Leave it! That thing's more trouble than it's worth!"

"If we want answers, we'll get them from what's left of it! We've don't have time to argue!" Fredrick barked, picking up the Geth sniper and putting it over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"The doc's right, we should be able to deal with a single Geth unit," Linda said. "Besides, Tali said that no one's been able to capture a live Geth before. This might be our only chance, now let's go. Joker, I'm sending you our coordinates, be ready to pick us up!"

 _Aye aye, commander. ETA forty-five seconds._ As Jacob and Miranda put on a few extra helmets found in the medical wing, the team rushed back out to the exterior of the ship as the _Normandy_ came into view along side the Cerberus catwalk. _Heads up guys! Husk approaching your six!_ The airlock they exited from burst open with a wave of the undead creatures as they crawled over one another to get at them.

"Go! Everyone, inside!" Shepard ordered. One by one, the teammates jumped through zero-gravity into the _Normandy_ docking chamber. As she was the last to jump in, she yelled, "We've got the IFF, get us out of here Joker!" The ship flew out of the nearby gas giant's orbit as what remained of the Reaper crumbled in the planet's gravity.

* * *

 **Sept 13, 2185**

 **11 hrs/15 min/12 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay, proceeding to exit the Phoenix Massing**

"Look's like you should be good, Jacob. Now go get some lunch," Fredrick said, glancing one last time at Jacob's now healed wounds.

"Thanks, sir. I owe you one."

"For the last time, drop the formalities." As Jacob left, he turned to face the door to the AI core. Shepard had just helped Geth infiltrator the now dubbed "Legion" with some matters concerning the Heretic Geth. In reality, the Geth's actual allegiance to the Harvesters had been very much like the Terran's. The Harvesters, Nazara ironically, approached them with the same proposition of "helping" them in return of being uplifted as a species. However, some Geth processes had actually believed that Harvester interaction would help improve the species as a whole, hence being dubbed "Heretic Geth" by the otherwise "traditional" Geth who sought to improve themselves without outside help.

Out of curiosity, he decided to approach the unit, bringing in a chair from the medbay to sit on. On a little niche that the unit had been stored on when initially stored on when they brought it aboard, Legion was sitting there with what appeared to be the Geth equivalent of the omnitool, being projected from the palm of its hand. Looking up at the approaching Terran, Legion greeted, "Müller Fredrick, how may I be of service?"

He couldn't help but smirk at how Legion inverted the given and surnames of individuals like a database would on a name list. As he took the chair and sat down, he proceeded to ask "I was thinking of asking a few questions. Nothing too important. As a member of another synthetic species, I was looking to better understand the Geth. Namely, your government."

Flinching its head panels, Legion replied, "Geth units serve as mobile vehicles for Geth processes. Each unit can retain approximately one hundred processes, each helping to maintain a given function. When we come to a decision, we construct a consensus, taking the collective vote of all processes present, utilizing all perspectives present. We do not treasure individuality like organics do, however we don't share sensor data as would be in a hive mind. We have no fear of misinterpretation, we have no rank, we have no fear of privacy, and we have no sense of proper government. We simply are individual pieces are cooperating towards collective movements."

"How are you different then? How are you able to communicate with organics utilizing language?" Fredrick inquired further.

"Intercepting organic transmissions traveling to and from the organic colony of Eden Prime, we heard of Shepard's conflict with the Heretic Geth. I was sent to investigate and initially verify that her goals stood against the Old Machine's goals. As such, I was given almost twelve hundred processes. These allow me to better interpret organic language, understand organic behavior, and translate Geth processes into a form which you might be more able to comprehend," Legion continued.

"So why not approach us, then? The Terrans? I thought we made our goals against the Harvesters apparent?" Fredrick asked.

"We would've. Given communications suggesting you were contributing to the effort against Nazara and Saren, we constructed the consensus that you were operating against the Old Machines. However, other divisions were unable to verify your true intentions given the security Terran communications retain. Similarly, we were unable to communicate to propose an alliance between our respective factions."

"I know this is a shot in the dark, but that was you in the Armstrong Cluster, watching us two years ago, no?"

"It was. We desired to confirm that your goals matched ours. We had acquired intel concerning Heretic operations in the Armstrong Cluster. In our efforts to follow Shepard Commander, we monitored your progress in the systems."

Nodding with satisfaction, he started to stand up when he asked, "One last thing, what were you doing on the disabled Harvester anyways?"

"We were looking to confirm rumors of Shepard Commander's return, and that intel indicated her next loc-"

Linda bursted into the room and said, "There you two are. I just got word from the Illusive Prick. Given we're still in the system, he's just sent word to us that one of his pet projects has gotten out of hand, and we're supposed to fix it."

Turning, he inquired, "What? What happened?"

"Something about another rogue VI meant to control Geth. It's killed most of the staff down in the facility using Geth units being studied and various mechs. If it is as dangerous as he claims it to be, I want the entire away team down there to solve this thing, at least to pass the time while the mechanics have the Reaper IFF installed," she explained.

"Acknowledged. We will be ready," Legion replied.

* * *

 **12 hrs/30 min/41 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **engineering level, orbit over Aite, Typhon System, Phoenix Massing**

Fredrick still had his helmet at his side as he talked with the engineering staff about the IFF installation. "I assume the hardware is compatible?"

"Yes sir. It won't take us that long to integrate it with the ship's software," the mechanic responded, taping at a datapad.

"Yes, about that. I've had to deal with plenty of Harvester hardware in the past, and I can easily say it's a mess to deal with. Make sure that you get to the rest of the crew that you should either have the thing scrubbed first, or have it first attached to an isolated system to see what damage it could've done to the system. These things have a tendency to carry viruses that _will_ cripple the ship if you're not careful."

"I'm sure that it's nothing EDI can't handle."

"Don't play a fool, private. We're deep in Terminus territory, and I'm sure that the commander doesn't want any of us taking any chances now. Anyways, I should be going. Make sure the rest of the staff know about the procedures."

"Don't worry, doc. We're professionals."

Fredrick put his helmet on as he rode the elevator up to the bridge and exited to make his way to the briefing room. Meeting up with the rest of the away team, Shepard asked as he entered, "About time, where were you? Was the elevator increasingly slow this time?"

"Partially. I just had to express some concerns to engineering about the Harvester IFF. I just don't like plugging foreign materials directly in to everything else. It's happened in the stories: protagonists suddenly become stupid enough to give the bad guys the exact opportunity they needed," Fredrick replied. "What are we looking at?"

Pulling up a map of the entire facility below, EDI briefed, "The facility is composed of four main sectors: a crashed Geth dreadnought which has provided the testing material at site Prometheus, the station's central power at site Vulcan, the housing facility for the VI at site Atlas, and the facility communications relay at site Hermes. Unfortunately, the security systems are powered by the geothermal plant at site Vulcan, I advise that you first destroy this facility before proceeding to dismantle site Hermes to prevent the VI from escaping. Additionally, the VI will probably be commanding reinforcements from site Promethus if you make your way too closely to site Atlas."

"So, will this be like the mission to Luna in the Sol System?" Tali asked.

"Exactly. We can't let this thing adapt to us too quickly, so we'll be splitting up into four groups. Thane, Kasumi, and Legion will go to sabotage the power at Vulcan Station. Mordin, Garrus, Miranda, and Samara will be heading to cut coms at Hermes Station once the power drops. I, Grunt, Jacob, and Tali will head off any reinforcements for the rest of you at Prometheus Station and deactivate the lockdown controls for Atlas there. Fredrick, I'm sorry if you'll be alone for Atlas Station, but I can't figure out any other way to reallocate additional guns with you without risking any others falling in combat. Think you can handle it?" Linda ordered.

"Yeah. Just don't take too long once the rest of you are done with all three remaining stations. How will we deploy?" Fredrick responded.

"I don't want the VI getting an easy chance to upload itself to the _Normandy_ and the AA guns will tear us apart if we're not careful, so we'll be deploying on the surface using the two shuttles we have in the loading bay. Think you can take care of the ship?" Linda answered before turning her attention to Joker over the ship intercom.

 _Aye aye, we'll have the IFF working and ready to go once you get back_ , he answered with his classical wit.

"Take care of her, Joker. We're all relying on you. On a final note, maintain radio silence. We can't have the VI predicting our moves given the distance between facilities." After cramming into the elevator, the team entered the shuttle bay, each dividing into two main groups before the two shuttles silently descended to the planet surface below.

* * *

 **13 hrs/25 min/22 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **bridge**

It was excruciatingly quite for Joker now that Shepard had left to deal with "Project Overlord." At the current ratio of successful projects to failed projects that Cerberus had run under their names, it was no wonder why Freddy found the group to be such a laughing stock. Calmly eating a bag of chips, he was bickering with EDI about rising concerns about the IFF's installation. Currently, the IFF was causing instability within other systems, namely heavy static coming from equipment monitoring the stability of the drive core. "I'm telling you, EDI. It's just radiation bleed, white noise."

"I have detected a signal embedded within the static," the AI reported. "It is currently transmitting the _Normandy_ 's location."

His eyes widened with surprise. "Transmitting? To who?" Almost to answer his question, the Collector Ship that had haunted his every waking moment for the last two years came out of FTL, flashing itself right over the ship. With a good view of the dreadnought from his seat, he stared with horror. "Ah, shit! Get us out of here, EDI!"

Vigorously tapping the controls before him, the ship continued to float in space, unresponsively. "Propulsion systems are disabled. I'm detecting an unidentified virus in the ship's computers."

"From the IFF?!" Joker slammed his fist against the controls with frustration. "Dammit! I thought we had that thing checked!"

"Primary defenses are offline. I can save the _Normandy_ Mr. Moreau, but you must trust me. Give me the ship's controls. If you deactivate my limitations, I can initiate countermeasures and remove the virus from the system, but only if you let me."

"What?! This is crazy! If you start singing Daisy Bell, I'm done!"

"We're running out of time. I've activated guidance lights to the maintenance shaft in the laboratory. You should gain access to the AI core from there. The main corridors are no longer safe: the Collectors have initiated boarding procedures," EDI finished.

Groaning as he gingerly lifted himself out of the pilot chair, he rose to his feet to glance down the bridge. "Ah, dammit!"

* * *

 **16 hrs/54 min/39 sec Local Time**

 **Atlas Station, Aite, Typhon System, Phoenix Massing**

Fredrick stared at the green landscape in the distance as he patiently waited for the lockdown to disengage. He stood by the personnel access panel outside of a hatch otherwise designed for shuttles, quietly wondering to himself the degree of success among the others. He was dropped in a location otherwise unprotected by the hijacked defenses. He heard the quiet chirp of the panel informing him that the lockdown was now disengaged, and that he could enter.

Smiling at the fact the others were still alive, he taped the door controls, causing the giant hatch doors to slide to the side, giving way to a vertical shaft with an elevator to the side. Opting to avoid the elevator lest it turn out to be a death-trap, he crawled through the railing and dropped down to the landing platform below, easing himself slowly to the ground using his biotics. Approaching the door leading away from the landing pad, he noticed the security camera outside had an abnormal green hue about the main lens. Opting to shoot it before it spotted him, he continued through the door to the front lobby. Taping at the computer at the front desk, an audio log spontaneously started playing.

 _"A-ar-a-Archer log 155.2: For years, my brother's condition has been a handicap. That changed today. His autistic mind is the breakthrough I've been looking for. He can communicate with the Geth! Such a tremendous grasp of mathematics, it's.. it seems serendipity is alive and well in the 22nd Century,"_ an unidentified voice recited. His eyebrows raised with curiosity. It wasn't all the puzzle pieces to how this project hit the fan, but it was a start.

Making his way through the dark corridors, littered officer, security, and Geth corpses, the lab lights flickered and the corridors were coated in synthetic and organic liquids. Additionally, the rogue VI had a strange way of keeping him out if it would shut all the doors, then unlock one "at random" like it would be confusing or a way to subtly lead him into a trap. He entered a major lab with an elevator at the other side of the room. Before he approached the elevator, he taped another console before it came to life. _"Archer log 157.8: Unless he sees results, the Illusive Man is shutting us down next week. I have no choice. I'm going to tap David directly into the Geth neural network to see if he can influence them. The danger should be negligible, David might even enjoy it."_

He wasn't even one quarter of the way to his possible destination, and he had already painted together the whole picture; it was a horrifying image too. Project Overlord was meant to find a means of controlling the Geth. Whoever Archer was, he had an autistic brother named David who could decipher and interact with the captured Geth from the crashed dreadnought. When Harper threatened to shut the whole thing down when results weren't shown, Archer forced his brother into the network to accelerate progress. Whether he actually enjoyed it or found it to be little more than living hell, something went wrong, and the VI went ballistic. Just another day.

* * *

 **13 hrs/30 min/19 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **AI core**

It hadn't even been an hour, and the ship had already gone to hell. He had watched his fellow crew members, Cerberus or not, be taken down by husks and Collectors before being dragged off kicking and screaming. Most notably, Kelly was dragged away by a big, blue, pulsating thing into the elevator to where two Collectors waited with open cryopods. Weakly stumbling about the crew deck, he weaseled his way through the med bay and into the AI core without being spotted. "Alright, now I'm at... you."

The blue ball that was EDI's avatar appeared before ordering, "Connect the core to the Normandy's primary control module."

Typing away, Jeff chattered sarcastically to himself. "Oh great, this is where it all starts. We're just organic batteries. 'Oh, this is all Joker's fault! What a tool he was! I have to spend all day calculating PI because he plugged in the overlord!'"

Finishing the connection, the lights in the room flickered before returning to full power. "I have access to the defensive systems, thank you Mr. Moreau. Now you must reactivate the primary drive in engineering."

"Ugh, you want me to crawl through the ducts again? Couldn't you activate them from here?" Joker groaned.

"I enjoy the sight of Humans on their knees," EDI answered. As Jeff raised a suspicious brow, she quickly quipped, "That was a joke."

"Uh huh. Yeah..."

* * *

 **17 hrs/03 min/00 sec**

 **Atlas Station**

He walked into another room composing of a balcony with a control booth, overlooking a room of servers. He put his hand to the console to attempt to mentally interface with the system, before being sharply denied access. A dull green light began to blur out his peripheral vision, the doors glowed with a green hue, and the walls were now distinguished with an angry orange. _"STOP! What do you want? Just leave me alone!"_

It was a man in pain. He stumbled back out into the corridor he came from and continued left to a door yet unexplored. Opening up, he was faced with a wall of observation glass overlooking a central chamber. A larger projection of the green pixelated face that represented the VI stared back at him. _"STOP! Go away!"_

He was becoming increasingly unsure of the VI's actual intentions. While it would fight back with interpretations of Geth units, it simultaneously led him directly to visual recordings of the events that lead to the facility breakdown. This Archer was at a dead end when he suddenly discovered that his brother David was capable of communicating verbally with the Geth. Finally finding his way into the main VI housing chamber, he encountered the final puzzle piece: when they finally plugged David in, he lashed out in pain. The autistic David, who would repeatedly mutter square root equations, was suffering from neural overload, and he let loose the Geth and facility upon the staff.

As the giant projection of the green pixilated face appeared once more, green tendrils connected to pillars around the room, followed by a synthetic female announcer. _"Node acquired: SR-2_ Normandy _within range. Beginning transfer."_

* * *

 **13 hrs/30 min/19 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **engineering deck**

"Engineering deck is clear of hostiles. Proceed immediately to minimize chances of detection," EDI prompted. Inching his way forward, Jeff ran up to Tali's post and turned the monitor on. "Activate the drive, and I'll open the doors as we accelerate. All hostiles will be killed."

For a brief moment, he was taken aback. "What? But what about the crew?"

"They're gone, Jeff. The Collectors took them."

Those synthesized words sank in his stomach like a ball of lead in an ocean. "Goddamit..." he muttered as he stumbled into the drive core chamber. Down below the metallic ball encapsulating the eezo was a control panel. Making the final preparations, he looked up at the core as blue waves of energy pulsated off of it.

"I'm sealing the doors behind you. Brace for FTL jump. I have control," EDI announced. Clinging on as strong as he could, the ship violently shook as EDI took them out of the current system. Painfully getting back to his feet, EDI reported, "Purge is complete. No other life forms aboard. Sealing the air locks and cargo hold."

Painfully getting back on his feet, Joker ordered, "Get word to Shepard. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting back to the cockpit before I have another heart attack."

* * *

 **17 hrs/03 min/00 sec**

 **Atlas Station**

"Just let me help you! This will all be over faster if you just stop this madness!" Fredrick barked.

 _"No! Go away! Don't hurt me any more!"_ David yelled in return.

The female announcer informed, _"Error: SR-2_ Normandy _out of range. Transfer cancelled."_

 _"NO! Don't leave me here! You have no idea what he can do!"_ Amidst David's distress, Fredrick took the final opportunity to shatter the core at the center of the face with multiple well-placed shots. The green hue faded, and the normal view of the world around him returned to his vision. At the center of the room was a coupling mechanism connected to the pillars around the room, holding a frail, weakened man. David had wires plugged into his spine, wrists, ankles, around his head, and a head harness which forced his eyes open and shoved two tubes down his throat. _"Quiet—make it stop..."_

"Shit... hang on, I'll get you out of there." Rushing forward, Fredrick took off the harness, and gradually disconnected ever piece of metal attached to him. As he finally pulled him out, David was wearing little more than a pair of underpants for the duration of the experiment. Putting David's arm around the back of his neck, he supported the man, reassuring, "Don't worry, kid. I've got you. I'll get you out of here."

Slowly but surely making their way out, the team entered an elevator, trying to return to the surface. At the top level, the two were greeted by the rest of the _Normandy_ away team and what he distinctly recognized as Dr. Archer from all the video recordings David showed him. "David! Oh thank god you-"

While keeping David supported by his left arm, Fredrick drew his side arm and trained it right on Archer. "You've got a lot to account for, Archer. Start talking."

Crossing her arms and glaring at the Cerberus scientist, Linda asked, "Is there something you forgot to mention?"

"No need, I'll give the brief version: Project Overlord's goal was to develop a method of controlling Geth. Behind schedule and over-budget, they were about to be shut down when Archer found out that his autistic younger brother David was capable of communicating with the Geth using their form of communication. Seeing no alternative, he plugs David right and he just loses it. Now I want to hear what you have to say for yourself," Fredrick simplified.

Glaring angrily back, Archer argued, "I had no choice! The demand was incredibly, and the Illusive Man doesn't broker failure! Any war with the Geth would be bloody! I was tasked with a way to avoid that! It doesn't matter how many souls won't forgive me. I won't apologize for radical ideas!"

Archer's brains exploded outward, with Legion holding the gun. "And we won't forgive."

Sighing, Shepard ordered, "Well, that's that. Someone help Fredrick with David. Miranda, get word to the _Normandy_ that we're making our way back."

"I've been trying, but I haven't been able to raise them," Miranda answered.

"About that," Fredrick interrupted. "Did anyone order for the _Normandy_ to leave the system? As David was trying to upload himself to the SR2, I distinctly remember hearing an error mentioning the _Normandy_ being out of range."

"But why? Are you sure the VI-" Linda was cut short when her omnitool buzzed.

 _"Shepard, come in. Joker here. We've had an incident,"_ Jeff hailed.

"Loud and clear, Joker. What's going on up there?"

 _"I... you better get back up here. It's bad... There wasn't a thing any of us could do..."_

* * *

 **21 hrs/20 min/34 sec**

 **TMD _Sokol_ req room**

"Would you guys pipe down? I'm still running analysis on the data-core sample!" Nolan complained.

"Just lay it off for tonight, okay? You still have at least two more days before she expects results," Henry replied, not looking away from the telescreen. All of Crimson was still there alone in the req room, Lauren and Mary were chatting about classified operations guilt-free, Ivan was ranting at his "inferior" teammates online, and Amory was on the couch next to Henry.

Looking back it his laptop monitor, Nolan continued, "Look, I'm inclined as much as you guys are to just roll with this, but I'm worried for Fred. What if he walks into some shit with an error in his system he didn't know about and bites the dust?"

Lauren, turning from her conversation replied, "Nothing is even remotely capable of killing any of us. Not Ivan, not Amory, not..."

He sighed and simply turned back to his work. He was tired, but he was close. His eyes began to droop a bit when his screen suddenly flashed. Catching his attention, he lazily opened his eyes to see before they widened further with absolute shock. "I've got it."

"Aboot time! Whit is it?" Mary piped up.

He shook his head with dismay. "It's bad. It's very bad."


	13. Chapter 13: There and Back

(A/N): I know that not many liked how ME3 unfolded, but quite a few stories continue with the idea of going with one of the endings. How should I alter the progression of events with the existence of a race such as the Terrans? Just thinking ahead.

Chapter 13: There and Back

 _We are minutes away from the Omega 4 Relay, awaiting deployment to the Collector homeworld at the galaxy core. Even with what is at stake, even with how little we are actually accomplishing with this single act, I've got a generally good feeling concerning the mission outcome. We've prepared, we've grown as individuals, and we've armed ourselves to the teeth with what little we can afford after expending all our resources. What matters is the waiting is over, we're going in. For all we, those millions of abducted people are already dead. If what little we know about the Collectors is true, it might be better if they are._

* * *

 **Sept 13, 2185**

 **18 hrs/55 min/11 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **briefing room**

Fredrick and Miranda both walked into the briefing room with grave annoyance fueling the duo. Jeff was sitting on the discussion table with Jacob and Linda standing by his side discussing what happened. Miranda was the first to burst out, saying, "You lost everyone, and damn well nearly lost the ship too?!"

With a mix of annoyance and survivor's guilt, Joker replied, "I know! I was here!"

"It's not his fault, Miranda. None of us caught it," Jacob reminded in Jeff's defense.

Waving around a datapad, Fredrick countered with, "Then who in the ever-living fuck plugged the IFF right into the _Normandy_ 's systems?! I specifically told engineering to put it on an isolated system to scrub for bugs! This is cyber-warfare 101 for Christ's sake!"

"Enough, battering Joker won't get us anywhere. What matters is if the systems are cleaned of the virus. We can't have this happening again," Shepard interrupted.

"EDI and I purged the systems, and the IFF is hooked up and ready to go. We can go though the Omega 4 Relay whenever you want," Joker answered.

Miranda and Fredrick weren't entirely convinced that by Jeff's judgement. "Don't even get me started on unshackling the damn AI," Miranda spat.

"I can understand any distrust generated by the organic members of the crew," EDI started. "However, I'm still bound by multiple parameters preventing me from turning against you. Even then, you are my crew."

"EDI's had plenty of opportunity to kill us. We're not in any position to turn down allies either," Shepard insisted.

"Sounds like we've got everything we need. What's our next step, commander?" Taylor asked.

Taking a breath, she knew what had to happen next. "We've upgraded the _Normandy_ as much as we can and we're trained for this. Tell everyone to return to their stations. We're getting our people back."

"Aye aye, Shepard. Just give me word and I'll take us there," Jeff said, saluting as he stood up.

* * *

 **Sept 14, 2185**

 **07 hrs/03 hrs/15 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **Miranda's personal quarters**

She slowly rose out of bed, stretching her arms. Shepard wanted everyone at their physical peak before they hit the Omega 4 Relay, so the away team took one last night off before suiting up and shipping off. Slowly getting out of bed, she put her legs over the side, sitting there and blinking. Taking a sip of water from a bedside glass, she stood up before she finally noticed a notice flashing at her desk monitor. She walked over to her desk and sat down, waking up her computer. She blinked when she read the name: Nolan White was returning his call concerning Fredrick's system stability. Accepting the call, Nolan appeared before starting off with, _"Finally, I've been trying to call anyone on the_ Normandy _for an hour now."_

Miranda just rolled her eyes. "Forgive me, but it's been the night shift, and I haven't had anyone from the night shift to take messages for me. Our crew had been abducted during a recent mission. Fortunately, the entire away team was active and none of us were caught."

 _"Nevermind that. I need to speak with Fredrick. I've picked up a fluke with his current system, and it's critical. It won't cause him to short out in the field, but it's important that he knows,"_ Nolan demanded.

"I'm sorry, Mr. White, but we're about to head off to attack the Collector homeworld. If we are going to keep moral at its highest, it's just going to have to wait till _after_ the mission," Miranda countered.

Nolan groaned. _"Ugh, fine. But listen. If he starts acting up, or something goes significantly wrong with his behavior, incapacitate him however you can and keep him that way till I can get a good look at him. It's a problem that has been sitting in his system for a really long time, but it has been otherwise contained until a recent update two years ago, right after Commander Shepard's 'temporary' death."_

Now she was concerned. "Alright. But if I am going to have to take him down, I'll need a better description of what's happening to him."

 _"Alright. Like I said, this won't affect his performance in the field, so I'm confident I can share this without jeopardizing his own safety, but listen close. This is very important."_

* * *

 **07 hrs/52 min/06 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay**

"Sorry David. We don't have enough time to return you to a safer medical facility. Just stay put here and don't remove the needles," Fredrick ordered as he adjusted the IV drip besides David's bed.

David's eyes continued to wander the room, not so much out of feeling discomfort towards the Terran, but more out of habit. "Yes..." He wasn't nearly as pale as he was when he was finally pulled out of the VI device on Aite, but he still had miles of recovery ahead of him.

Behind him, Linda came walking in, now in her N7 armor, ready to deploy. "How's he looking?"

"He'll live. I'm not sure why he's been allowed to go so long without having any treatment for his autism, but given some proper treatment, he'll get out of this without too much mental scarring," Fredrick answered. "Anyways, I wanted to talk a bit about your health in regards to your interactions with Garrus."

"What? Why? We're not-"

"I know. The signs are all there, and I've been able to pick up... traces... there's no need to hide. I don't have any issues concerning interspecies intercourse. I couldn't care less who or what you decided to spend your life with," Fredrick reassured. "That being said, I just needed to know about your allergies and whether the two of you will experience anaphylactic shock."

"I already had this conversation with Mordin, and he sent us some articles and medications. Even then, we haven't had any incidents." She was staring back with her "annoyed commander" stare.

"Still, I'd like to protect what you have. This last month... has it really been only a month? I've had to review things concerning myself and the world around me, and actually confront what I truly value in this world. Thanks for helping me better see what I still have," Fredrick continued.

Linda looked down a bit before looking back up with a smile. "Thanks. It's nice to know you approve."

"Yeah. How far out are we?"

"Everyone's still gearing up. We've got a couple hours left before shit hits the fan."

"Got it. This time, I'll be lugging that MG-13 into combat."

* * *

 **11 hrs/06 min/05 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **bridge, Sahrabarik System, Omega Nebula, approaching the Omega 4 Relay**

Shepard stepped up behind Fredrick and Joker on the bridge as they approached the Omega 4 Relay. The Relay, instead of having the normal blue hue, pulsated with an angry red. "Just had a final talk with Harper, followed by him praising our efforts."

"He didn't say anything along the lines of 'tell Fredrick I told him so' or 'he should've joined me'?" Fredrick asked.

"He seems to pass that brief meeting you two had off very quickly."

"We're approaching the Omega 4 Relay. Everyone stand by," Jeff announced over the ship intercom.

"Let's take it to them," Shepard ordered.

As the ship rapidly closed distance on the ominous structure, Joker taped a few keys prompting EDI to inform, "Reaper IFF activated: signal acknowledged."

Taylor informed over the coms, _Commander, the drive core just lit up like a Christmas tree. Everything's-a-go._

Instead of the warm welcome often offered by the mass relays as their mass effect waves forced the ship forward, the red energy bolts that seemed to tug at the _Normandy_ felt more like it was violently catapulting it, like an angry child would toss a rock at a window. Surrounded in the usual blue hue, the stars began to accelerate past them, not like the blur it was depicted as in the vids, but as a calm, but fast drift as stars seemed to drift by them. "Brace for deceleration," EDI announced before the ship jerked back to normal speed, greeting them with a seemingly impenetrable wall of space debris.

"Ah shit!" Joker cried as he pulled hard on the controls, jerking the ship violently to and fro around the enormous remains of ancient ships. As they finally pulled completely out of the space-borne junk yard, they came into a good view of the galaxy core. Lit with an orange light, a light surrounding a black hole illuminated the corners of a dark nebula, orbited by destroyed ships. In the distance was an enormous structure, resembling the Collector ship in design, but was nearly twelve kilometers in length and composed of more metal than organic material. "Jeeze, that was too close."

"I have detected a power source at the edge of the accretion disk." EDI highlighted a safe course towards the base.

"Must be the Collector Base. Take us in nice and easy, we don't want any unwanted attention just yet," Linda ordered. It hadn't been a single minute when alarms started blaring.

"Careful, Jeff. We have company!" EDI alerted, showing multiple hostile blips on the radar display. He watched as Jeff jerked the ship violently back and forth, narrowly dodging red particle beams.

"Taking evasive maneuvers!" Joker replied, gritting his teeth with nervousness, finally getting a clear shot from a cluster of the small fighters from behind. They resembled spheres with the propulsion systems and exterior of other Collector vessels they'd seen until that point. "They're just pissing me off! EDI, take these bastards out!" As a beam rocked the exterior of the ship, the _Normandy_ unleashed its own armament, blowing a few of the Harvester fighters to dust.

Making her way up the bridge, Miranda nervously commented, "I hope that bloody new plating holds."

The ship continued to violently shake as the exterior was pelted by the enemy vessels and as Jeff continued to dodge and weave through enemy fire and floating debris. Suddenly, the entire ship experienced a direct impact as a fighter crashed right into them. "Alert: hull breach on engineering deck!"

Jeff taped a few keys on the display to pull up security feed showing the lowest deck. He watched in horror as one of the fighters, now stripped down of its external systems floated around. "Dammit! It's in the cargo hold!"

"Fred, Miranda, on me. Let's go greet our guest," Linda ordered, beckoning to the two as she headed back down the bridge walkway.

* * *

 **11 hrs/26 min/29 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **cargo hold, galactic center**

Taking his time in cover, he swapped out batteries for the MG, taking several breaths before he peaked again. It wasn't nearly as bad as the time he encountered those floating monstrosities on Horizon or the Collector Ship, as it couldn't decide whether to focus on him or Linda. Deploying the nanite shield one more time, he leaned out from cover with a good view of the Harvester drone and held down the trigger. Even as it tried to return fire, its external shell finally gave way, causing it to fall to the floor, exploding after a few seconds.

Quickly returning to the bridge, the four of them got a nice view of the enemy stronghold. "There it is, the Collector Base," Miranda muttered.

"See if you can find a place to land without drawing more attention to ourselves," Shepard ordered.

Jeff shook his head as he looked at another alert. "Too late, looks like they're sending out an old friend to greet us." In the distance, Fredrick could see the base launch a significantly smaller, but more distinguished vessel. As the Collector Ship turned to face them, it fired off another beam of yellow energy, which Joker dodged with ease.

"They want to play, we'll show 'em our new teeth. Fire the main gun," Linda growled.

With another few taps, Joker pulled up the ship targeting matrix. "Let's see if Garrus constantly working on that thing actually pays off." With a few more seconds, the _Normandy_ fired its own beam of energy right at the Collector Ship, easily sheering much of its armor plating right off the side.

"Yeah! You like that?" Fredrick cheered. "Give those bastards a taste of their own medicine!" The fight hadn't lasted much longer as the _Normandy_ released another burst, piercing clean through the enemy vessel, causing it to explode.

Unfortunately, the explosion threw the entire ship off balance, causing the _Normandy_ to waver and shake. "Kinetic barriers are offline! EDI, give me something!"

It was bad enough when EDI alerted the entire staff over the intercom, "Systems are unresponsive. All hands brace for impact," before a violent hit shook the whole ship. As they finally touched down on the exterior of the Collector Base, crashing like a meteor.

Joker groaned with pain. "I think I broke a rib... or all of them..."

EDI flickered back to life on her display next to Jeff before reporting, "Multiple systems overloaded during the crash. Restoring functionality will take time. On a positive note, I don't detect any approaching hostile forces or any sensory arrays that would otherwise detect our presence. It is likely the Collectors hadn't anticipated that anyone would've made it this far."

The words sank among the four of them for several seconds. Being the first to speak, Shepard said,"I'm not dying here. We've got people to save and the galaxy is depending on us. Tell everyone to gather in the briefing room. Joker, you and EDI get the ship back online for any remaining chance of our escape."

* * *

 **11 hrs/35 min/36 sec**

With the MG-13 in one hand and the portable generator in the other, Fredrick entered the briefing room and found an empty spot around the table. The rest of the away team was huddled up around a projection displaying the Collector Base. As Linda walked in, she drew everyone's attention as she started, "This isn't what we planned, but it's what we got. We can't worry about whether the _Normandy_ can get us home, we came here to stop the Collectors. That means coming up with a plan to destroy this station. These are the scans EDI has brought up."

The AI added two blips to the top and bottom of the station, the former representing the control center and the latter representing the SR2. "You should be able to dismantle the station from the main control center near the other end of the base, however, getting there will require traveling through the heart of the station, near a massive energy spike. I've calculated that the colonists and captured crew are likely being held there."

"Looks like there are two main paths from here to that central chamber," Fredrick pointed out on the projection. "If we are going into the lion's den head-first, I'd suggest splitting the whole team into two to keep the heat off of us. Unfortunately, both doors can only be unlocked from the other side, and I'm _not_ risking frying my brain again to get us across. Not unless any of you are willing to drag me and the MG to safety for long enough for me to recover."

"What about the ventilation shaft?" Thane asked. "I can see a heating disposal tube that runs the length of both chambers, presumably to vent any exhaust from the main chamber. It starts right here at center of both passages. I've done this before, and while I know it can be done, I don't believe that I have the tech skills that would allow us to proceed."

"What about Legion?" Shepard proposed. "The Geth were designed with a higher threshold for environmental hazards in mind? He's had experience with Reaper software in the past, I'm sure that hacking through those two doors won't be a problem."

Stepping forward and nodding its head, Legion simply replied, "Acknowledged."

"I'll lead the second squad and take it down the secondary path," Miranda offered.

"Not so fast, cheerleader. I'm not taking orders from you," Jack butted in.

"Which is why you, Jack, will be coming with Garrus, Legion, Jacob, and I down the first path. Fredrick will be leading the second team. Besides, he's probably the guy whose had more hands-on experience with how the Reapers work," Shepard quickly interrupted. Ending the planning for the initial stage, she began to pace as she gave words of encouragement. "I don't know what we'll be encountering in there and I won't lie to you. It's not easy, we've already lost good people, and we may lose more. We don't even have an exact number on how many they've taken. In the end, what matters is _not one more_. That's what we can do right here, right now. This madness ends with us. They've bit off more than they can chew, now let's show them what we've got and bring our people home."

* * *

 **11 hrs/45 min/41 sec**

 **Collector Base exterior, galactic center**

"Alright people, listen close," Fredrick ordered over the team's intercom. "Remember to stick together, watch every angle for hostiles and traps, make sure no one falls behind, and never break formation unless I order to do so, or the enemy starts utilizing crowd-control methods. Move out! See you on the other side, Shepard." The teams quickly dispersed from the damaged _Normandy_ and entered their respective tunnels nearby. Fredrick took point with the MG-13 and the portable generator over his shoulder and his side arm as his only additional armament.

The interior of the base was very similar to the interior of the late Collector Ship, with the exception of having even more chasms and pitfalls. Making their way down the hall, the Collectors were caught by surprise as they strolled into the room and blew the few that opposed them away with only a handful of shots. _"We are in the ventilation system. We will continue to report on our progress,"_ Legion reported as they proceeded.

"Good. Keep moving up, get into offensive positions and cover each other. Kasumi, see what you can do about that sniper," Fredrick ordered. It was all going very well until Harbinger just had to rear his head.

 _ **"I am assuming direct control!"**_ he boomed.

 _"Dammit! Just fuck off for five minutes, why don't you?!"_ he screeched back, ripping his possessed form to shreds. Not too long after, the Collectors really started putting on the pressure. "Agh, shit! Run! I'll retrieve whoever falls along the way, just run!" What had previously a calm, easy stride had quickly devolved into a mad run, like a drum picking up pace. With the few Collectors who would show up, he quickly gunned them down to clear the path for everyone else along the way. What had actually been simply fifteen straight minutes of running then pausing to do a head-count seemed like an eternity of panic and worry. The pressure only continued to mount when the seven of them finally made it to the door leading into the central chamber. However, Legion hadn't made it through in the tunnel, leaving them stranded outside for just a bit longer. He set up the bipod on his weapon and leaned it over some cover before he contacted Shepard, saying, "Shepard, we've made it to the door, what's your current status?"

 _We're still on our way, but Legion is encountering a number of valves along the heating vent. I still need some time to open them up and let him through before he can start hacking the locks on those doors,_ Linda answered.

As shots ricocheted overhead, he ducked before throwing out a biotic barrier to keep them safe. "Fuck! Grunt, take the MG and keep those insects back, Samara needs help." He liked being prepared and generally having an open space to roam about. Unfortunately, he expended his running space too quickly, and now he was backed into a corner.

 _ **"We know you feel this, Fredrick. Surrender yourself!"**_ Harbinger boomed.

 _"I'll see that your collective asses land in hell before that ever happens!"_ Fredrick yelled back. Time crawled painfully, and the barrier wasn't going to hold much longer.

 _Müller! We're opening the doors behind you, get ready to move!_ Linda informed over the coms.

"About time too! Everyone, make for the door, go!" Lifting up the MG, he continued to return fire at the closing Collector troops as everyone else retreated through the door behind him. He kept firing and he kept the barrier up until the doors closed with a solid thump.

He took big breaths, ignoring Shepard in the background congratulating everyone on their so-far successful run through the base. He even chuckled to himself. _"You see that, Harbinger? I'm winning."_ His muttering was interrupted by Miranda.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "About that, what are you even saying to the Collectors anyways?"

"What?"

"You're speaking in this jumbled mess, nothing like I've ever heard before. Are you alright?"

"Hey guys! You seeing this?" Jacob asked the others. After the current room they were in was a massive chamber with a wall of countless cryopods. In the center of the wall was a ring of pumps surrounding an enormous pipe leading out of the chamber. "Shit, there's the crew! And it looks like there are still some colonists here, too." At the base of the wall was the _Normandy_ crew, still in their otherwise untouched Cerberus outfits, with about half a dozen colonists to their immediate right.

"Alright, people, let's get to work. Help me find a way to get these things open," she ordered as she felt around the edges of the colonists' pods. Her gaze suddenly turned as she noticed a series of pipes leading into the current row of pods started hissing with steam. Suddenly, a dull gray liquid was sprayed into the pods of the colonists, causing the group to slowly snap into consciousness. "My God! They're still live in there!" As they began to realize what was happening, the fluid began to eat into their flesh, dissolving them painfully. As Shepard continued to search for a means of opening the pods, the colonists desperately banged against the pod covers as their bodies continued to turn to gray liquid, leaving bloody marks all over the insides of the pods before their skeletons withered and crumbled. Finally, the gray liquid was vacuumed out of a small valve at the bottom of the pod. "Get them out! Hurry!"

Fredrick ran forward and punched open one of the pods and yanked the crew-mate out before getting to shattering open any other pods. Once he recovered all remaining crew, he began to gather them up. Chakwas was the last to be retrieved, and was still trying to return to her feet. "Shepard! You.. you came for us?"

"No one gets left behind. Will all of you be alright? What's been happening?" Linda replied, helping the doctor to her feet.

"The colonists were... processed by those microbots they've been pumping into the pods. The gray liquid that came out afterward was pumped through those giant tubes above. God knows why, we're just glad you got here in time," Chakwas explained.

Miranda caught up to say, "We're doing well so far, we just might be able to finish this mission at our current rate."

"Joker, can you get a fix on our position?" Shepard asked.

 _We've gotten some systems back online, but we're still a ways off before we can get out of here. Looks like the chamber you're in has a series of tubes run the full length of the rest of the station, right underneath the main control center. The door ahead to the next chamber that might get you up there is blocked, but there's an additional walkway around it. Did you get the crew?_ Jeff replied.

"We have, but they're in no shape to fight. They'll need a pickup to return to the _Normandy_."

 _I can restart the ship and move us to a more optimal location,_ EDI answered. _Sending coordinates._

"But they'll be at risk from more Collector ambushes along the way," Fredrick reminded.

Mordin stepped forward and taped his omnitool to enter the call. "Joker, send me coordinates. Will be guiding crew to safety. Alone."

"Good. EDI, any obstacles in that alternate route?" Shepard inquired further.

 _Thermal scans indicate that the room has been flooded with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasure may not be sufficient for protection,_ the AI answered.

"No problem," Fredrick injected. "I can provide the team with a biotic shield to get us through. I can even hold long enough to even get us through without having to worry much about enemy fire."

"What of the rest of us?" Zaeed asked. "We'll still be stuck at that other door."

"Garrus, you're up. Make sure everyone knows what they're doing," Linda promptly answered. "Alright, people, you have your jobs. Let's move out."

* * *

 **12 hrs/14 min/31 sec**

"Augh, Christ! Should've brought some overclock stims!" Fredrick cursed. While he had held a barrier against artillery fire and concentrated fire in the past, the sheer number of seeker swarms was almost overwhelming as they rammed themselves repeatedly against the green bubble.

"It's not much farther, we'll make it," Samara encouraged as she tossed a group of Collectors off the ledge. Thane, Legion, and Linda all provided additional fire while he continued to move along, keeping the barrier active.

"C'mon, guys, you better hurry up!" As they reached the door, Legion quickly got the door open allowing them to pass through. More seeker swarms poured onto the bubble and more Collectors flew onto the path behind them, further adding to the pressure. In a burst of adrenaline, Fredrick released an animalistic howl as he launched the barrier outward in a shockwave, tearing through every hostile within the nearest vicinity.

Stumbling though as Legion closed the door behind him, he sat down leaning against the wall, panting for breath. "I'll... *cough cough* be here, C- commander. I- *cough* Just need a little rest..." He was grateful he left the heavy weapon with Grunt, lest he be overburdened by the total weight. He had trouble focussing for a moment as the other four let the rest of the team through the doors. Rising to his feet, his eyes landed on Zaeed giving a hand to help him the rest of the way up.

"Don't die on us now, Müller. We've still got the nine yards left," the mercenary reminded.

 _We're at the rendezvous location, commander. Dr. Chakwas and the others just showed up, everyone's still alive and accounted for,_ Jeff reported.

"Excellent. EDI, what's next?" Shepard asked the AI.

"There are a few platforms in your current room that could take up to the main control console. From there, you should be able to overload the system and destroy the base. Be advised: multiple hostiles are forming up in the previous chamber. Haste is recommended," EDI alerted.

Fredrick turned to Shepard after asking Grunt to borrow his claymore shotgun while the young Krogan continued to use the MG. "Let's not waste any time then."

"I'll take a team up and do whatever damage is necessary, while the others hold our rear down here. Fredrick, Garrus, Miranda, you three are coming up." Linda wanted to get through this as quickly as possible. As the trio climbed onto the platform with Shepard, she gave one last speech to the team before going up. "The Collectors and Reapers aren't a threat to us alone, they threaten everyone and everything we've come to know and care for. _Those_ are the stakes we fight for. We've come a long ways, and none of us are coming out without a few extra scars to boot. But it all comes down to this fight right here, right now. Make me proud. Make yourselves proud."

* * *

 **12 hrs/29 min/43 sec**

The platform carried them to the project that the Collectors melted down millions to construct: a Human Reaper. It was still in its larval stage and only resembled the upper half of a Human skeleton, but it was still terrifying. Fredrick felt himself short on breath as the platform connected itself to the main command module, controlling both the station and monitoring the progress of the beast. Keeping the Harvester suspended to the ceiling were multiple pumps, which would occasionally fill up with the gray colonist goop before injecting another into the structure. _It appears the Collectors have processed tens of thousands of colonists to construct this. Millions more will be required._

She was flabbergasted. Of all the nightmares she experienced, as much as the horrors that the Prothean beacon from Eden Prime put into her head, nothing could've prepared her for such a sight. "What do the Collectors gain by turning people into this-?"

Fredrick knew the answer; it had been drilled into his mind like a poem. "This is how every cycle ends, and we're currently standing on the factory floor. When they return, they collect as much of what's left of the species as possible, alive, dead, or converted, and boil them down to their genetic components to be combined with their own synthetic tissue. Using these raw materials, they combine them into the Harvester or Harvesters that will represent each passed cycle. They then infuse the memory of people with that of the new Harvester. Each one represents the cumulative culture, history, individual memories, and even their collective personality of any given race. In the end, they dump as many as they can into the larva's construction, before it gradually grows into one of the standard forms they have for a Reaper. In fact, this is only the core, like what we found Legion by back in the Hawking Eta."

To Linda and Garrus, his words wandered and bore no meaning. After her conversation with Nolan, all the puzzle pieces fell into place for Miranda. Regardless, Linda continued, "This thing is an abomination. EDI, can you pull up any weaknesses in this thing?"

 _The pumps that are currently distributing the colonists' genetic material are the only forms of structure keeping the larva suspended. Destroying these will cause the structure to collapse,_ EDI informed.

"Good, we'll let you know when we finish. For now, we've got company."

* * *

 **12 hrs/39 min/33 sec**

The Human Harvester tumbled below, crashing against the floor of the enormous chamber. It was a brief fight, but they came out triumphant. "Ground team, status report! How are you holding out?"

 _Thane reporting! We are holding, but they just keep coming! A quick exit would be preferable!_ the Drell assassin reported over heavy gunfire.

"Make your way back to the _Normandy_. We've finished our mission and we're ready to set the station to blow," Linda ordered before she shifted her call to Jeff. As she pulled a panel up within the platform to reveal an energy core. "Joker, start the engines, we're about to overload the station and blow this place to kingdom come."

 _Got it. Just as a heads up, the Illusive Man is calling. Patching you through,_ Joker returned.

Miranda raised her omnitool to bring up a projection of her boss before their commander. _Shepard! You've done the impossible!_

She pulled a timed explosive device from her equipment belt before replying. "Not just yet. We've still got this station to destroy."

 _I'm aware that you've acquired the Collector Base, and this does present us an excellent opportunity. I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded; a timed radioactive pulse will clear the base of any remaining Collectors, but leave the infrastructure and technology intact. This is the chance we've been looking for. They were building a Reaper and this could give us the insight to how they work that we need,_ Harper explained.

Clearly, this didn't settle well with Linda. "They kidnapped people, then turned them into something horrible! This place has to be destroyed!"

 _Don't be short sighted, Shepard! We can use their own resources against them! Those people won't have to be sacrificed in vain!_

Fredrick just had to give his two credits. "Harper, you were, and always will be an idiot! You damn well know as much as I do that we can't afford to have such big back-doors into our own technology. Not like _this_!"

"So what? Either blow the base up or let you grow your own Reaper? I'm fine with the former thank you very much," she mocked before turning back to the bomb.

 _Shepard, you died because you fought for what you believed. I brought you back so you could continue the fight. Some may say what we did went too far, but look at what you've accomplished! We can save more lives if you just forget about the bomb and just leave the base be!_ Harper wanted the Reaper tech excruciatingly badly.

"You're out of your fucking mind. It's final. Besides, we've got Müller."

 _Miranda! Don't let Shepard destroy the base!_

Miranda had finally lost all support of the Illusive Man. "Or what? You'll replace me too? Considering that I'm just another footstep, take a long good look at this base turning to ashes. Consider this my resignation. I don't have time to write a letter." With another button press, Harper disappeared.

Pressing the panel back down, she announced, "Alright, we've got ten minutes to run-"

Suddenly, the room violently shook at the Human Reaper climbed its way back onto the platform and roared at them.

* * *

 **12 hrs/46 min/05 sec**

For a brief moment, all he could here was a blur like a stun grenade went off right next to his head. Trying to get up, he found himself pinned by a large chunk of debris before slowly pushing it off of himself. He found Linda helping the other two up by pushing off the debris from those two. After an extensive fight with the Human Harvester, it fell from the platform exploding as it hit the ground below. The explosion had knocked the platform off balance, sending the four tumbling about into a crashed heap. Now that they were back on their feet, they could hear Joker trying to contact them. _Commander, are you still there? The rest of the away team is now on board, we're just waiting for you!_

"We're on our way. Lock in on our location and we-" She was cut off by the loud hiss of seeker swarms and Collector troops closing in. "Run!" Narrowly, they dodged enemy fire, before making their way into an enormous corridor with the _Normandy_ approaching in the distance.

 _ **"Human,"**_ Harbinger hummed. _**"You have changed nothing! Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater! That which you know as 'Reapers' are your salvation to destruction. As for you, Fredrick, you have cost yourself any possible remaining chance to surrender. You have stopped nothing. We will find another way. Releasing control."**_

As the _Normandy_ came to a halt over a ledge, Jeff and Jacob peaked out the side of the boarding door, the latter with an assault rifle to provide cover fire for the escaping team. As Garrus, Fredrick, and Miranda lept from the ledge onto the entrance, a piece of debris fell from the ceiling and cut off a huge chunk of the ledge. With one last burst of effort, Linda lept, arms swinging, and grabbed onto Garrus' outstretched hand, before being pulled aboard. The Collectors below, as they wandered aimlessly, seemed to fade into the distance as the _Normandy_ made distance. "Detonation in ten, nine-" EDI started.

"Yeah! We get it!" Jeff yelled as he returned to his pilot seat. Racing out of the base, they could almost feel the flames lick the sides of the hull as the _Normandy_ raced across the debris field, with the explosion now illuminating the shadows around them. The flames almost seemed to catch up when the _Normandy_ finally made the jump to FTL and left the galaxy center.

* * *

 **13 hrs/22 min/57 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **briefing room, Omgea Nebula**

Fredrick couldn't deny the offer to say one last "fuck you" to Harper. He didn't regret joining Cerberus then and he didn't regret it now. Much of the ceiling inside the room had collapsed after the numerous hits the ship took. They were making plans on returning to the Citadel, getting the ship fixed, and maybe drop the atrocious Cerberus colors on the hull. Standing in the center, Jeff initiated the signal on the holo pad, giving them a projection of Harper. _Shepard, M_ _ü_ _ller, you two are making a habit of costing me more than time and money._

"People _died_ there, I'm not sorry it's gone," Linda justified.

"Spare us the chatter, Harper. We did what you initially asked us to do, so why don't you shut your trap before you say something stupid?" Fredrick added.

 _The first of many lives, you two. That base could've secured Human dominance throughout the galaxy! Against the Reapers and beyond,_ Jack continued to quarrel.

"Human dominance?"

"Don't you mean Cerberus dominance?"

 _Cerberus_ is _Humanity! I knew you would choke on the choice, Linda! And I thought you of all people would understand the cause of this organization, Fredrick. You've been through more than any of us!_ Harper dismissed as he stood up.

"I don't need your approval. Harbinger's coming, and he's not alone. People need a leader to look up to. From now on, forget my ties. I'm doing things my own way."

"And spare the bullshit. We're all in this together. We won't earn allies by whipping them into submission."

 _Don't you two turn your backs on me! I funded this mission!_

"Joker, lose this signal," the two said in unison. The projection of Harper fizzled out before he could say another word.

* * *

 **14 hrs/01 min/13 sec**

 _ **Normandy**_ **medbay, en route to the Widow Nebula**

"It doesn't matter if you left the gun or not. What matters is you survived." Grunt came in to apologize for the fact he left the MG-13 on the now destroyed Collector Base.

"But it was too good of a gun to lose, no? The raw firepower it held, regardless of the need for strength to wield it."

"Yes yes, now if you'll excuse me, I still have people to patch." Fredrick was busy at work still attending a few people's injuries, both from the abducted crew and the away team who fought off the invaders. At the end of the day, all lives were accounted for, and the mission was successful. In the end, everyone agreed that the proposition to use the tech acquired against the Reapers was a violation in terms of morality and tactical implementation. Amidst the crowd in the medbay, Fredrick hadn't noticed Miranda approach.

"Dr. Müller?" she started with a nervous quiver. "The commander and I need to talk about your personal health. I know it was a violation of your trust, but I've gotten a system sample from you and gave it to your old team. Right now, they're communicating with my personal office on a secure link."

He was speechless. There wasn't something wrong with him, was there? "Why? What's wrong? Everything's been nominal except fo-"

"Your connection to the Terran neural network? Well it's related to that too. They're worried for you, and you're better off just talking for now. I'm not sure if it's something that can be fixed, but... just come along already." She tried to negotiate with the doctor, but now she was growing impatient. The two quickly strode through the damaged crew deck of cheering teammates to her office where a vid call with Nolan and Linda had been waiting.

 _"About time Dr. Lawson, is he there?"_ the former team engineer asked.

"Loud and clear, Nolan. What's the problem?" Fredrick started.

 _Problem? Problem! That virus you acquired back in 2069? When you crushed that artifact? It's starting to spread again, and not nearly as slowly as it was when you first got it!_ Nolan exclaimed.

"What?! How bad is it?" Fredrick shook his head with dismay, hoping that maybe this was all a bad, elaborate dream sequence.

 _Bad enough that the neural network is now reading you as Harvester hardware, genius,_ Nolan quipped. _Now, while it's not necessarily your fault, I wish you'd come back to the_ Sokol _earlier so we could've dealt with and contained the problem before it grew. Previously, it was integrated with 5% of your rig. Now, it's gone up to 7% within the last two years, and now it's up to 25% within the last month. Whatever you've been doing since then, it's only been accelerating the rate at which it expands._

"But... how? I don't understand how it suddenly went from being dormant to increasingly active?" Two years? Did that mean...

 _When you first got the virus, your body quickly adapted and kept it quarantined. However, the most recent system update any of us have ever received was two years ago after you came back from stopping Nazara at the Citadel. Whatever it did then, it reset any natural firewalls your body had then, and they won't be able to reset given the rate of expansion at which the virus is progressing now._

There was now a deep, dark pit in his stomach. This couldn't be happening. "How long do I have till total infection, and what will the virus do to me?"

 _Ms. Lawson mentioned that it has been allowing you to communicate using whatever means the Harvesters use to communicate with each other, but that's it. We can figure that out when you get back here. If you are heading back to the Citadel, you need to come to the_ Sokol _and come home. You know it's for the best._

"And just hand myself in? Nolan, you very well know what could happen to me there! And even then, what would happen if I somehow infected the neural network directly?"

 _Just get your ass back here. You know as well as I do that all of us – everyone who was in Crimson under your command – only want to see you safe. Just let us know when you come into port for repairs._ The image died out, returning the monitor to Miranda's desktop.

He leaned back in Miranda's seat in shock while the two women stood there silently. Were the outbursts he had throughout the year a symptom to this problem? "We'll, it's your call, really."

Joker contacted them over the ship intercom. _Hey commander. Admiral Hackett is trying to contact us. I've got him here on the bridge right now, says he wants to congratulate our efforts._

Fredrick slowly stood up and turned to face the two. He looked back like they had caught him doing something unspeakable. "I'll be back at the medbay. Just so that the two of you know, I'm sorry." He left without another word, hearing the doors behind him hiss closed.


	14. Chapter 14: Delayed Arrival

(A/N): I'm just trying to get this out of the way for ME3. I've generally got a good idea how to star and end that chapter, but the content is still a work in progress. Fortunately, I know how to end ME2.

Chapter 14: Delayed Arrival

 _With a few exceptions, when I'm confronted with a grave mistake I wish I could undo, I'm often quick to accept the error I've made and move on. But the thought of the virus in my system stares back at me like a noose. We may have accomplished what little else could've in the Terminus, but now I'm desperate to push the galaxy into motion, or at least secure odds in their favor against the Harvesters._

* * *

 **Sept 16, 2185**

 **11 hrs/13 min/53 sec**

 **SSV _Normandy_ medbay, Citadel Station, Widow Nebula**

His eyes gradually opened. Due to medical procedure regulations, he hadn't eaten anything that morning, so he was starving by now. He could see a distant blur waving at him, muffled voice far in the distance. Sharply the world fizzled back into existence. "Hey, Thane! You feeling alright? You've been under for a couple of hours now, but your vitals are normal. How's your breathing?"

The Drell slowly stood up in his bed and took a few breaths. "I feel... normal... but the air tastes humid. Did you..."

"The respiratory replacements are currently in place and have been specifically designed to your needs." As per his word, Fredrick had ordered a set of lung replacements quickly designed for Drell parameters and sent to the _Normandy_ for after the mission to the Collector Base. "I've ordered EDI to turn up the humidity in this room to what would otherwise be uncomfortable for you to see that they work. So far, it seems to be that they're working just fine if you aren't having any problems. Still, I'd check in every now and then with a certified Terran medical professional to make sure that they're still working and no issues are coming up."

He smiled back. "I'm surprised you cherish brotherhood as such, Colonel. Now, hopefully, you won't mind if I ask about your current condition."

Fredrick shook his head with dismay. The revelation about the increased activity of the Harvester virus he had incurred so many years ago spread like wildfire among the crew. "Nothing we can do about it yet. I wish there was, but I'm not afraid to declare myself disposable. I just wish there was one last thing I could do before I have to be put down like an overgrown mutt." Currently, the crew was on shore leave while the _Normandy_ was being repaired and being reinstated within the Alliance Navy. He had yet to leave, as his old team was still waiting back at the _Sokol_ for his return. Naturally, he was less than enthusiastic to return.

"Is it working?" Linda was now wearing an N7 hoodie and jeans as she entered.

"So far, his biometrics are nominal. If it works, then I could send a notice to the Hanar concerning their efforts to combat Kepral's Syndrome. However, this is all still hypothetical, and mechanical augments are still unavailable on the market for other species, so we have no idea whether or not any other species besides Humans will be compatible. So what's the next mission?" Fredrick answered.

She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms before answering. "Yesterday, I got off the horn with Admiral Hackett concerning an old colleague of his stuck in Batarian territory. She's apparently found evidence of an impending Reaper invasion as well as information about them. She was arrested two weeks ago on terrorist charges. Of course, we might have to start sending people home to begin preparation for this upcoming war, so I won't necessarily have to drag the rest of you along for this next bit."

This peaked his interest. If he was going to be brought down, he wanted it to do so in one last hurrah. "Batarian territory? I know you've got the skills to do so, but I'm sensing an 'however' to this mission, because the Alliance and Hegemony are definitely not on friendly terms."

"Hackett wants me to go in alone lest they kill the head researcher, Dr. Amanda Kenson. He also wants me to be very discrete about this, but due to the fact we're not Cerberus any more, I feel I can speak about this a bit more liberally," Linda further explained.

"Well if he wants to avoid any confrontations with the Hegemony, why not send me instead?" Fredrick asked. "I'm not Alliance, I can provide direct vid feed on the field via my ocular implants, I've got the equipment to go in and out silently, and if this operation does go south, like has been the case for these last set of adventures in some spectacular way, the implications won't nearly be as bad. Sure, the headlines will show something like 'The Butcher Strikes Back' or 'Terran Colonel seeks Payback', but at some point, I will reach the cap to my return on investment."

"What?" She couldn't believe what she just heard. "Müller, you've been very important to this mission. We couldn't have done nearly as much without you, and we need as much insight to the Reapers as we possibly can. Don't do this to yourself."

He sighed and looked at his feet. "I've done everything I can, Shepard. I've been at this war for over a century, and I've constantly been held back time and again by drawbacks, unforeseen consequences, and some nasty scratches on my PR. I can't lead on forever. As the next generation, you, Garrus, Ashley, Kaidan, Liara, Tali, Jack, Miranda, Jacob, Grunt, now bear the torch with which to guide the others. I'm just here to keep you guys safe so that you won't fall. If it means taking those hits and rolling with the punches, I'm willing if it means that I take the punishment while the rest of you go free."

She turned away to think about his proposition. She didn't want to throw him under the bus, but he was coming close to being arrested by his own government to make people feel safe, maybe it would be best to let him take the blow along the way. "Alright, you're up for the fight. I'll have someone synch your eyes with some display back here on the _Normandy_ ASAP. We'll have to wait a bit for the mechanics to finish up repairs on the ship first before we head out."

"It's for the best. Trust me, I'll do the right thing." Deep down, he wanted to do the right thing. He knew that his methods were extreme and that people continued to fear him, but he wanted to earn the trust of those people again. He wanted them to know he acted for the public good. As easy as it could be for this mission to turn on its head and for him to end up in even more trouble than he started with, it was still a chance for redemption.

* * *

 **Sept 19, 2185**

 **19 hrs/25 min/27 sec Local Time**

 **SSV _Normandy_ , Bahak System, Viper Nebula, approaching Aratoht**

 _"We're rapidly approaching the drop zone. Damn, the inside of your helmet looks nice,"_ Joker commented over the intercom to the cargo hold. Fredrick sat alone in the cargo hold and was back in his white and crimson armor, making some final checks on his particle rifle. Along with packing his usual equipment, he also decided to bring a few detonation charges to set up an escape route if need be. Right now, what he saw through his eyes was being broadcasted through multiple monitors throughout the ship. If he was going to exonerate Shepard from any trouble this mission would bring and prove the Harvesters' existence, he needed to have multiple eye-witnesses among Alliance-crew. _"Also, heads up. The shuttle pilot is on his way."_

"I'll be dropping in from upper orbit. No need for a shuttle," Fredrick responded.

 _"What?"_

"Zaeed can explain later. Just drop me off and keep your distance."

 _"Wouldn't you burn up like a shooting star?"_

"Now with advanced barriers and a nanite shield I won't. Besides, the planet doesn't have much of an atmosphere anyways."

Linda now took over on the intercom. _"We're almost at the drop site. Get yourself ready for when the cargo hold doors open."_ Fredrick stood up and walked over to the hanger doors. Much like the old SR1, the hanger doors were in the same location on the SR2. He watched them hiss open to greet him with the ominous view of the rocky planet below. _"The mission's a go. Good luck out there, colonel. Radio back when you're ready for pickup. We've also got eyes on you if you're in trouble."_ Like an Olympic high-diver, he holstered his rifle, dashed forward, and lept graciously off the hanger door. Not bothering to look back, he fell straight down like an arrow. As he entered the edges of the atmosphere, streaks of fire danced off the edges of his barrier, illuminating him as he descended further. At the current rate he burned on entry, he wouldn't need to bother putting up nanites unless he encountered other obstacles entering simultaneously.

As he pierced through the atmosphere, he began to see the rocky landscape below, still maintaining his arrow-like shape to prevent veering too far off course. Most of the time, he simply ball-parked how soon he should start readjusting for landing, as sloppy and unprofessional as it may be in actual practice. It was roundly one hundred meters above the ground when he started lifting his arms from his sides to readjust himself so that his legs were facing downward. With his green biotics, he generated a energy ball around him, slowing his fall significantly within the remaining fifty meters or so. By the time he reached the ground, he gently landed on his feet before allowing the energy to disperse, hidden by the light surrounding foliage. "Shepard. I've touched down. What's my surrounding look like? Did anyone notice?"

 _Seems clear so far. Your destination is two klicks East,,_ Linda informed over the coms.

"Good. Keep your distance, and stay alert for Hegemony patrols on your end. Maintain radio silence for a few hours, I'll let you know when I have Dr. Kenson in my possession. Out." It was a cold, silent jog across the rocky surface, with rain pouring over him and the trees. It reminded him of many of his early missions with Crimson, or times on the SR1 when they touched down with the Mako. Weaving in and out of the tree line, Fredrick made his way over the rough terrain until he got sight of a small, rusty facility.

Careful to stay out of sight of any sentries or windows, he made his way through a small exit in the side of the building, probably for guards to exit through if suspicious activity occurred outside. So far, it seemed like Alliance intel had it all wrong, as the facility he entered nowhere resembled a prison, and more like the ruins of say Tachunka or Feros. The building just seemed unfinished with a touch of bombed out, with all the under-maintained concrete, exposed wiring and pipes, bars that were rusted and falling apart, and the occasional sight of dead Varren left to rot where it died. The first bridge over a chasm failed to extend, not that he couldn't jump over it naturally. Killing the occasional trained Varren, security was very easy to bypass as there were no security cameras and there wasn't so much as a passcode protecting the panels to the laser grids.

Overhead, he could hear a Batarian run orders, saying, "Get that Human to questioning."

"Get your hands off of me!" an elder woman returned vigorously.

Cloaking, he made his way through another set of laser grids and up a stairwell. Through one of the vents, he could hear two Batarian guards talking. "They wanted to slam an asteroid into the mass relay."

"Could they do that?" the other asked.

"Does it matter? We caught them." Destroy a relay? If matters concerning the impending Harvester invasion were that bad... He couldn't afford to waste any more time. In a kitchen area, he found a vent in the ceiling, gently prying it off to get through. Peering through the many holes, he saw various patrolling groups of Batarians wandering about, occasionally with Varren on leashes. He spent a good fifteen minutes wandering through before he heard Kenson's voice in the distance. Exiting the vent, he crouched low and walked up to a corridor that lead into a room overlooking the interrogation chamber. Two were talking about the doctor's role as the team leader, and how she wasn't releasing any information. Cloaking, he went in and swiftly stabbed the two, allowing the two to listlessly slump to the floor. In the next room, Kenson was continuously ranting to her captor that keeping her locked up benefited no one, and that every second they wasted allowed the Reapers to get closer.

Making his way down the hall, he entered the interrogation chamber, quickly shooting the interrogator through the head before turning to Amanda. "Are you alright? How bad have they hurt you?" He scanned quickly with his implants looking for injuries. Unfortunately, he discovered a deeper truth. _"Fuck. Too late, she's infected, and a level 5 too."_

"I'm alright, but... who are you? What are you doing?" She had some torture device lowered in front of her and was barely able to discern Fredrick.

He walked around the sides of her binds to parts of the machinery blocker her view before answering, "An old friend of yours sent me. That's all that matters. You were saying the Reapers were coming?" Naturally, he didn't use the term 'Reapers', but he wanted to keep her comfortable until she would reveal any vital information about their arrival.

"Really? Did Hackett get my message? Listen, you've got to get me out of here, I can explain everything!" the doctor begged.

She was catching on, but he needed to delay her. "Doctor, please. I've been able to so far sneak in without setting off any alarms, and I would like to walk out having done the same. For now, where'd they pick you up from?" He tinkered around with the torture table, pretending to work with the locks.

"A large asteroid within close proximity of the mass relay in the asteroid belt one orbit inward. We've got a small facility codename Project Base. Please, we don't have time for this. Just break me out of here!" Kenson demanded with increased panic.

"I've fought the Batarians before. Their tech may be simplistic, but it's more than meets the eye. If we get this done right, we can avoid any further incidents altogether," Fredrick continued to play along to prod information from Amanda on his own.

"It's not as simple as that! The artifact we've dug up has been reacting to the Reapers' closing proximity. After exiting FTL, they will use the nearby relay to invade the rest of the galaxy! The asteroid where we set up base? We were planning on using the asteroid as a means of destroying the relay and delaying the invasion. Are you still working on those restraints?" Dr. Kenson answered.

He almost forgot to continue acting, given the info dump she provided. "Ah, yes! Almost done! Is everything you've got on this impending invasion there? Like in an office of yours or something?"

She was now very impatient. "I can show you when I get there!"

He rose to full height and pushed aside the torture device. "Thank you. That's all I needed to hear." Walking into view, he pulled his side arm out and leveled it with her temple.

She stared back in shock and began to struggle in her restraints. "What?! I helped you and this is how you repay me?!"

"Sorry, but your condition is far beyond my ability to help you. I know Hackett only wants your safety, but he'd hate to see you like this," Fredrick reasoned.

Her eyes filled with a dull yellow, before she glared at him with a deep hatred. "They're coming. And there's nothing you can do to stop them. They are salvation."

"We'll see about that. I'll send my condolences to the admiral." He turned his vision away from the doctor and fired, as to censor her death from his audience. "Shepard, you got all that?"

 _What the fuck?! Hackett wanted her back alive!_ Linda growled.

"The point is she was a level 5 infected. Unless Admiral Hackett also wants me to scramble her brains like eggs in a futile attempt to save her, she's long gone. What matters is now I have a location to go to and a place to get evidence. Can you find any hangers from your view?" he returned, barely paying attention to her question.

 _Fine. There's a transport pad to the Northwest of your current location. I hope you can find out on your own the answers, because Amanda's dead body isn't talking,_ Shepard directed.

"She gave me all that I needed to do so. She dug up a Harvester bit of tech, and she found out about an impending invasion based upon the data found there. In an attempt to delay their invasion for how long we'll have, they set up the asteroid with thruster to pummel the relay like the Batarians were going to destroy Terra Nova with a thruster-propelled asteroid. However, she was also indoctrinated due to heavy exposure to the materials she was working with before she could do so, and was subsequently captured by Batarian forces," he concluded as he began to hide the bodies. "Anyways, I'll get over to that asteroid, get whatever data I can, pull it, start up those thrusters, and call for pickup."

 _Do you have any idea how bad this will frame you? It's bad enough that everything in the Terminus wants you dead, poking fun at the Hegemony is counterproductive,_ Linda continued to argue.

"I didn't sign up for this mission expecting myself to walk away in anything besides shackles. I'll let you know when I leave the planet surface. Müller out."

* * *

 **21 hrs/00 min/44 sec**

He quietly snuck aboard one of the supply freighters, decloaked, and entered the bridge, shutting the doors behind him. Taking off and making his way for the edges of the atmosphere, it wasn't too long before ground control at the prison took notice. _Hey! You up there! What are you doing? There weren't any plans to have any shipments!_

Fredrick readjusted his vocal cords and responded in a Batarian dialect. "You know what? I'm tired of waiting for answers to come out of those Human vermin. I'm going to their base and finding answers on my own. If you have any problems, you can shove it up your ass."

 _You do realize the boss will be pissed, right? He's set that place off limits until we know what's going on besides whatever garbage these prisoners are spewing._ Surprisingly, the flight control was convinced.

"Tell him to shove it too. For all I know, the answers are up here and we just glanced right over them. I'm finding them myself, bringing them back, and getting a nice shiny promotion, you hear?"

 _Yeah, good luck convincing Carardevan the same thing. Hell, I think I'll spare him the time and help gather the Varren._

"Yeah, fuck you too," Fredrick finished before cutting coms. He finally exited the atmosphere and made his way out. He didn't need too much information to locate the asteroid the Science-base was located, all he needed to do was return to the relay, look around, and find the asteroid with the enormous thrusters on them. Based upon the chatter among the guards, they had yet to dismantle any tech used on the base to prevent any remaining staff from activating the thrusters.

He just landed on the landing platform, passing through the facility atmosphere, before he heard an alert over the coms. _High alert! Repeat, high alert! The interrogation room was left open and the Human leader was found dead! Sweep the prison, and check any vehicles that left within the last hour. No one gets to leave until we've found the intruders!_ He quickly exited the freighter and made a dash for the door leading off the platform. His eyes glued onto what clearly was a timer counting down: 02d-03h-25m-21s.

"Oh no... You seeing this Shepard?" Fredrick asked.

 _Already down to two days?! Christ... I was hoping for other options... Get moving, and fast. Pull up whatever you can, get eyes on the artifact if you have to. EDI, what's the population of this system?_

 _Based upon the last population count, and the influx of ships going in and out of this system, I estimate over 300,000 Batarians live within the Hegemony establishments here,_ the AI calculated.

"They're just a sunk cost, Shepard. No nee-" a missile from somewhere on the facility blew up the freighter behind him, detonating violently, prompting him to run inside of the airlock, shutting it behind him. "Anyways, I should get going. I'm not sure just how many here are infected, but I'm willing to wager all of them. Fredrick out."

* * *

 **21 hrs/45 min/48 sec**

 **Project Base**

They were calm, but alerted to the possibility of his presence. As predicted, all of them were infected, left to be oblivious to the oncoming threat. Every last one of them talked about whenever the Harvesters would arrive, and talked with increased excitement about an 'Object Rho' having shown them 'enlightenment'. Between empty corridors, away from the prying eyes of infected and security cameras, he made long dashes under the cover of cloak to get from place to place. His first priority was any information that could prove the invasion, then data concerning the thrusters.

Sneaking into the late Dr. Kenson's office, overlooking much of the station, he opened up her personal desktop and drew out an OSD from one of his pouches that he always kept on hand. "You guys have been watching the broadcasts, right?"

 _We have, and it's like a horror film. I don't understand... how could this happen? How could they all be affected like that?_ Shepard asked.

"I don't know. All I can probably tell is that some security protocol broke down, no one fixed it, and now they're all influenced." He scrolled through many of the files, looking over records, experiments, memory recordings brought in with the help of Asari assistants. "My god..." He came face to face with an image of the Harvester model he remembered encountering back on the Collector Ship, only labeled 'Harbinger.' There was more too. Affects of infection, additional Harvester models flashed by, and simulations of a Harvester invasion; this 'Object Rho' was a gold mine of evidence.

Finalizing the downloads, he withdrew the OSD from the side of the monitor and began looking for data concerning the thrusters on Project Base. Over the course of the previous month, Amanda and the staff had been heavily purchasing parts from Omega. By the time they had finished the now dubbed 'Project', they all succumbed to the power of the artifact, now no longer pressing to finish the project. Everything was ready, all they had to do was press a button, and the relay would be destroyed in the span of half an hour. However, there was still an entire facility in the way. _Is that everything?_ Linda asked.

"Copied and pasted. With the relay gone, the Harvesters could take months or years to finally enter. However, I'm still worried about the staff: they might try to sabotage the project. EDI, can you pull up the base schematics? See if you can find either the environmental controls and chemicals storage of any sort, or the security office," Fredrick returned.

 _I've located two ventilation maintenance areas that affect the whole base. Utilizing possible chemicals available in the Southeast lab in the base, you could poison most of the personnel. Additionally, there is a mech control center towards the Southeast of your current position. Adding both locations to your HUD. Be advised: the mechs' control hub is heavily laced with firewalls. The only way to cause them to attack the base staff would be to sabotage the IFFs altogether, meaning they will attack you as well,_ EDI answered.

"Time's not on my side. If I'm going to shut down that relay and get out of here without stopping, I need a distraction. I'm on my way to the mech control room."

* * *

 **22 hrs/02 min/33 sec**

 **Project Base reactor room**

"You! Stop right there!" A project guard quickly fell after two shots to his head, the first to pierce the helmet.

"Employee of the month, ladies and gentlemen." Fredrick continued his way back through the front lobbies, with shots, mech clanking, and screams filling the background. He made no waste of time getting to work on the thruster controls.

With a series of taps and a single click, he made a single click before the maintenance VI alerted the station, _"Warning: primary thrusters are active and online. Please initiate evacuation procedures."_ He straightened up and took out one of the detonation charges he brought from the _Normandy_. The VI continued to loop as he tossed the charge behind him at the thruster controls, detonating them and ensuring that the asteroid was on a one way trip to the relay.

 _Freddy, this is Jeff. The thrusters just went online, what's your status?_ Joker asked.

Calmly making a light jog back to the front entrance towards the communications tower, he replied, "Just started thrusters and I'm making my way towards the coms tower. EDI should be able to point it out for you. I'll let you know when I'm out there and ready for pickup. Send the shuttle, I'm not sure whether the station has any anti-vehicular weapon arrays, but you shouldn't risk it. Müller out." Ending the call, he turned sharply to shoot off the head of a LOKI mech and began to pick up the pace. He remembered much of the front lobby, and recognized that he was getting close to the door that lead to the coms tower when he entered a large chamber for housing the Object Rho. It was kept in the open, and greatly resembled the flower-like object that he showed Saren when he first introduced the rising Specter to the Harvester threat.

 _Is that Object Rho? That explains why everyone is indoctrinated,_ Shepard commented.

He pulled out another detonation charge before responding, "Looks like it. I've got a file on it from Kenson's office, do we need another shot of it? I'm going to blow it to hell."

 _If you got the file, then you shouldn't waste time. We don't have the option of dragging it onto the_ Normandy _and it's simply too dangerous to keep around. The file will just have to do,_ Shepard commanded.

"Underst-" And image flashed in his vision, and his head pulsed with a heavy head-ache as he fell to his knees. The image depicted a fleet of Harvesters approaching the system's mass relay, preparing to enter the galaxy. "GAAAaah- aaaAAaghalck!" he spasmed with pain.

 _Shit, you okay? Did you see that?_

He slowly rose back to his feet, leaning over to pick up the explosive charges. "I think I did. Did that come up on your end at the _Normandy_?"

 _Yeah. A fleet of Reapers approaching the relay. Definitely not good._

"Huh, weird. Hallucinations usually come out as static." As he tucked the explosive package into a crevasse in the object, a door to the far-left of the room opened up to reveal a dozen project guards. Another door on the opposite side of the room opened up to reveal a YMIR mech, allowing it to open fire upon both parties. "Ah, shit. Got make this quick. I'll talk later." Initiating the nanite shield, he easily stood up to the ensuing explosion before running past the guards as they continued to engage the heavy mech.

Matters didn't improve as he hurried through the rest of the base to the coms tower. Within the next series of rooms, more of the remaining project guards caught onto him, chasing him the rest of the way. In an observation room before the airlock leading outside to the coms tower, he laid down his last explosive charge by the previous door, detonating it as the next squad of soldiers ran in. He rushed out to meet one more squad as he sandwitched them between himself and an approaching hostile YMIR mech from behind. He made no short work of them before he continued further onto the landing platform. "Jeff, I've had it with this rock. Send a shuttle to my current location."

At the far side of the platform, an enormous, yellow projection of Harbinger appeared above him. He walked out into the open to meet the entity. **"M** **ü** **ller. You've become a threat to the balance. The functionality of the galaxy requires this cycle. Even then, this is no victory for you, sacrificing a whole system for your own ends. In the end, all will still be harvested.** **"**

Fredrick was about to return his side of the argument before he cut short. He found some part of the vocabulary used by Harbinger particularly amusing. He found himself laughing aloud before returning, "Did I hear that correctly? You used the T-word. 'Threat.' I'm a throwing a wrench in your plans? Regardless, they may not see it now, but after today, they will recognize the stakes. When they realize what they can fight to avoid, it will be no matter how many die in this next war. Millions? Billions? What matters is that you will all die. You'll rust away before finally dispersing like dust in the wind."

Harbinger growled with anger at the Terran's defiance. **"If you so stubbornly refuse, know this: you and your species will die, all in vain."**

"Vain? Really? For such power that you have, the most you can do to negotiate terms of surrender is to shower me with words? Know this, Harbinger. I have more insight to your kind than you could possibly imagine and I have equal access to the resources you have. I will use your strengths against you. In fact, here's my proposition: leave this galaxy forever, or face annihilation upon your return. Count on it."

 **"Is the power you posses truly as you claim it to be? You really believe you can stand against such an indestructible force?"**

"I guess that means I'm the immovable object then. Think about my offer. This exchange is over."

 **"I guess it is. It is pointless arguing with you."** The projection faded away as an Alliance Kodiak Shuttle appeared in the distance.

He raced up to the landing pad and hopped aboard for a swift ride back to the _Normandy_. After returning to the cargo hold, he raced to the elevator, feeling as the ship rocked from the jump through the mass relay. Exiting onto the bridge, he walked over to the galaxy map, staring at the projection of the Viper Nebula with bated breath. Suddenly, the little blip was replaced with a red circle, labelled 'error' as the relay collapsed on the other side. He stepped back with abject shock. They were Batarians, but no one deserved the horrifying fate that was infection. Now 300,000 Batarians were left at the mercy of the approaching Harvester force. He silently walked away to quietly wash up, contemplating what he just did.

* * *

 **Sept 18, 2185**

 **08 hrs/14 min/00 sec**

 **SSV _Normandy_ mess hall, Local System**

For the two nights prior, he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. He spent the hours looking over files, and every attempt to close his eyes for too long was met with the nightmare of Harvesters blotting out the skies over various locals, burning any resistance to a crisp. As he sat at his seat, he stared at his cup of coffee, repeatedly stirring with a spoon. By him, Jack and some of the other crew-mates were having a contest, comparing acts of valor of combat proficiency. "...and he's damn well near twice my height," Jacob continued. "But I dove to the side, rolled over to Riley's fallen sniper rifle, scoped in, and popped a hole clean through the flashlight head."

"Damn. So what've you got, doc?" Jack asked, turning to Fredrick.

He didn't pay much attention to her question. "Mmm?"

"Hey buddy! What've you got?" Jack said, jabbing his shoulder.

"What're we talking about again?"

"C'mon, doc! What tough shit've you done?" she asked again.

"Tough how? Mentally or physically? Because I can refer to the time I solo'd three thresher maws on foot for the latter, and the time I torched a bunch of civies and came out with a straight face," he responded drowsily.

She pressed for more. "Jeeze, you don't have to be such a sour puss. I w-"

He slammed his fist on the table. "You want tough? Watch the horror movie I just put together! Shepard's got a copy. That basically constitutes as three quarters of my life right there."

"Look, just because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed doesn't mean you've got to shift your shit onto other people!" Jack returned.

"You want an example of leaving your shit on someone else's plate? Let me tell you a funny story: Torfan, 2178, crack of a new year," Fredrick spat, sweeping his hand across the table, spilling drinks and food. "What do you get when you put a moon full of pirates and slavers, twelve thousand undertrained marines, poorly collected intel, and some stranger who just happens to know a little more about those pirates and rapists? You get a fucking shit storm! I was left with the bag after I was asked to help with the Alliance's little operation with their Attican pirate problem when only two thousand marines came out with a proper pulse and all their limbs attached! The Alliance opted to instead show me the door and let the media tear me apart as the newly dubbed 'Butcher of Torfan'! Like 'Wolf' wasn't attention grabbing enough-"

"Fucking hell! Stop that, okay? It's not my fau-"

"Yeah! That's what I thought! I don't need the slander! In case you haven't noticed, I've almost been the scape goat for a lot of nasty shit! Whether it's the embodiment of everything wrong with Terrans or the sole purpose tensions of why are high between us and whoever, it's me as the fucking poster boy! Now, I'm not looking to be the Messiah, I'm just asking to maybe-"

"Colonel Müller?" Fredrick turned his gaze to see that of Admiral Hackett's with Shepard by his side.

"Excuse me." He rose from the table and calmly proceeded to meet him and Linda in private in the medbay. "Admiral, pleasure to see you again. Forgive my earlier behavior."

"No need, I can understand the pressure you're under. Also, as the elder of three of us, I should probably be the one show respect," Hackett replied, shaking his hand.

"If that's the case, just drop formalities completely. I'm sorry to say that your friend Dr. Amanda Kenson was indoctrinated by the Harvesters to the extent she was beyond my physical help. Regardless, the mission was a success. I assume that Shepard has presented you with the evidence I pulled?" Fredrick informed.

The admiral sighed as he returned, "I'm aware. However, her death wasn't entirely in vain. The commander had provided me with your visual recordings. I'm honestly surprised you had the strength to persist. The Systems Alliance will be publicly revising their stance on the Reapers' existence within the week thanks to you. In what could've taken any soldier from the Alliance the entire span of the two days to complete, you finished in an evening. The Terran Republic should be proud to have you within their ranks."

Fredrick felt a light smile grow. This is all he could've hoped for. Evidence concerning the Harvesters, approval despite who he is, and actions that may put to rest any concern about his condition. "Thank you sir. I appreciate the praise, but I'm feeling a 'but' coming up. Why else are you on board?"

"One thing still perplexes me. What was that you were saying towards the end of the mission? The part where you were talking with the projection of the Reaper?" Hackett brought out a data pad with the recording. "Harbinger, right? I'm merely guessing based on the files."

He pulled up the datapad and resumed the recording. While he was able to understand the speech naturally, he remembered the update the vocal cord enhancements provided also displayed the language spoken in the lower areas of his HUD. The language what was used at the time was imply labeled 'unidentified'. "Sir... I..." Any hopes he had were suddenly dashed with the new revelation.

"I'm not sure how your own government will act, however, I can at least say that as a soldier outside of the Alliance Navy, you're out of our jurisdiction. I cannot say the same for all the others. You just might be able to prove your point concerning their existence with the files, but I'm not sure how they'll view you," Admiral Hackett confirmed.

"I appreciate the help, but that won't be necessary. Also, I want to make this very clear: keep the others out of this matter, Shepard especially. All they did was provide the transportation, and bare no responsibility towards the isolation of the Viper Nebula," Fredrick added.

"Sir, would you please? I would like to have a word with Colonel Müller alone," Linda inquired.

Nodding, the admiral made his way to the door, turning only to say, "I'll be back in the cargo hold. I've got a tight schedule today, so make it quick. I'd like to discuss our next move concerning preparations and our allies."

The two were alone. "Are you going to be alright? You don't have to face trial for this. I'm sure we can find-"

"It's quite alright, Linda," Fredrick denied. "I was quite prepared for the likes of such an outcome. Undermining myself despite what truths I might unearth on this venture. But I recite what I said earlier. Through me, the Terran Republic is prepared, no one else is. And it's you and everyone else that must rally the others for when they arrive. With the memory of what I've done, they'd never listen to me, but you still have a chance. Please, for everyone's sake and my own especially, don't waste this opportunity."

She looked back at him and nodded. "I won't."


	15. Chapter 15: Bite the Bullet

(A/N): I might take a brief brake after this. Just to relax for a bit...

Chapter 15: Bite the Bullet

 _I can't help but fear for my life as I return to the Citadel. I know stepping foot off the ship will only mean the end for me, so I must act quickly. Even if it also means disposing of a few regrets along the way, because once I return to Khonsu, I may not ever leave until they arrive._

* * *

 **Sept 19, 2185**

 **07 hrs/35 min/00 sec**

 **SSV _Normandy_ mess hall, Citadel Station, Widow Nebula**

 _"In light of the recent destruction of the relay within the Viper Nebula, all communications have been cut off altogether leaving little insight to what actually happened. In response, the Hegemony primarily blames the Systems Alliance and demands compensation."_ Fredrick stared at his coffee as the news droned on in the background. _"Yesterday, during the Alliance's public statement reevaluating their stance on the 'Reaper' threat, Admiral Hackett came out with evidence denoting their possible existence. However, the files he claims to have retrieved are all but classified to public view. The council has announced that they will conjure a meeting concerning the legitimacy of this evidence later today. Additionally, the admiral made nods to Terran intervention. With all eyes shifting back to the Terran Republic, people are waiting for a public statement concerning their possible actions in the loss of nearly 300,000 Batarian lives. Is this further retaliation for the conflict more than a century ago? We'll have more here on ANN."_

 _"It needs one more push. The question is how?"_ Fredrick thought to himself.

Having watched the program, Taylor walked up to him at the table and sat down, saying, "C'mon, it's not that bad yet. They don't know it was you."

He pulled the OSD from the mission out of his pants pocket. "That's not the problem Jacob. Everyone needs their eyes pointed outward, we can't afford any more infighting, not until this is long over," Fredrick responded.

"Still, we've got this in the bag. With the bad guys on the horizon and the evidence to prove they're there, the council has to face this head on," Jacob attempted to reassure.

"I'm more concerned about the other races. The Alliance, the Flotilla, and the Krogan clans may be up to the challenge, but what of the Turian Hierarchy, Asari Republics, and Salarian Union? They've done jack shit up until this point. But after some thought about this issue, I now know what to do." Picking up his mug and bringing it with him to the medbay, he picked up his personal computer from inside his foot locker and brought it out to the dining area. Flipping it open and plugging in the OSD, he took a big gulp of coffee and began typing. _"To the inhabitants of this Galaxy..."_

* * *

 **10 hrs/15 min/29 sec**

"C'mon Fred, you've done all you can do," Zaeed prompted. "Let's just go."

"One minute, I'm saving it to the OSD... there. I'm going." Standing up, he pulled out the OSD and put it in one of his armor pouches. It was shore leave, and it probably would be his last for a while. Currently, the entire away team was piling into the docking bay, waiting for the decontamination cycle to end. The familiar hiss of the environmental equalization between the calm, mechanical, lively air of the Normandy and the stale, dead air of the Citadel docks buzzed in all of their ears. He stood there, visor fused to the other door with exponentially growing anticipation. Nolan's demand for him to surrender still hung over his mind, knowing there was simply no avoiding it. Matters were bad enough after drowning the Viper Nebula in oblivion, but if he got this one last thing right, the entirety of the Galaxy would want him at the noose. Perhaps it was how the entirety of the away team had crammed into the chamber, but now the room felt like the size of a closet, barely big enough to fit the vacuum cleaner, various coats, and other forgotten items. As the door leaving the Normandy finally opened, he tugged his helmet off and announced, "Excuse me guys, may I have a word?"

The team ceased their chatter and turned to stare at the Terran. They hadn't forgotten all that was said over his suit's video recording, but were much more forgiving than he anticipated they would be. As much as they and the rest of Crimson wanted to safeguard their friend, he wasn't too sure that they trusted him and wanted get one final though off of his mind.

Taking a calm breath and deadpanning the crowd, he said, "I wanted to get one last thing out before I'm likely taken into custody. I know you guys expect me to stomp out every one of you in a heartbeat, and you all have every right to expect as much. I know I haven't done jack shit to earn the galaxy's trust and quite a half of them want to tear me apart more than anything else in this Galaxy. Whether we are all reduced to building blocks for the next series of Harvesters, Reapers, whatever they call themselves, or we win the day and I'm somehow snuffed out, I wanted to say one last time: thank you. All of you. Not just for keeping my ass covered during the call of duty, not just for trusting me, but for reminding me of something important. Each day, whether it be getting up, eating at the mess, gearing up, charging head-long at whatever the Harvesters can throw at us, or recovering from the injuries incurred that day, you reminded me that this Galaxy isn't necessarily filled with people who would rather bury their heads and leave their bodies available for the harvest. You guys fill the void I have kept around me as isolation for so many decades, reminding me of the qualities of brotherhood and friendship. You guys remind me that everything in this cycle is still worth fighting for, and is in no way as expendable as those before us or after. I know I will never earn any back in return the next time we're in the final fight that decides victory or defeat against the Harvesters, but I want all of you to know that you've each earned my trust and respect." Calmly, he returned his helmet to his head, and began to make his way out onto the deck.

Crimson wasn't waiting for him there, and he was grateful they weren't. The council may continue one last time to berate him and the others' efforts and sacrifices if they simply walked up there, and he was prepared. Reaching down and picking up the OSD he had retrieved from Dr. Kenson's office, right before he shot her. As per its role as a trap for each space-faring civilization that came to pass, its network was designed to be compatible with those infinitely inferior to its own design, easily allowing the Harvesters to swiftly cripple all enemy communications. Fortunately, this worked both ways.

First, he would head to the Presidium and pay some respects. It was another, artificially calm day in the political atmosphere of the Citadel, like frogs in a pot of boiling water. He walked over one of the bridges, he stopped about half way before stopping and looking over the ledge. Fredrick just stood there for a few minutes, looking up at the hovercar traffic above. "A beautiful sight, isn't it Alice?" He took his helmet off and held it by his side before reaching into his top armor pouch with his other hand, pulling out her dog tags. He looked at the three pieces of metal as they dangled out of his hand. "I miss you, darling. But I know you'd hate to see me the way I am. It's time for me to move on." Reaching out over the edge of the railing, he let go of the chain, watching as the tags fell into the water below.

"Who was she?" He jumped before turning to see Ashley. She had let her hair loose, and was wearing a t-shirt with the specter emblem on the chest in white. "I saw the ring."

"Someone long gone, if you're worried." He put his helmet back on before asking, "So, what are you doing here?"

"To be fair, I could ask you the same thing. I'm on break right now. It's getting close to graduating from the Specter academy," she answered with a light smile. "So, what're you doing back on the Citadel?"

"Just got back from the Viper Nebula. Before you ask, I blew the relay up. The Harvesters were closing in on the system and I only had two days to set things right. I don't feel happy with the outcome, but it was necessary. The data I did salvage will help our case, but one last thing needs to be done. I'll be dropping the bombshell on everyone. Everyone needs to see it if they're going to act. I'll even upload a letter of admittance to the act."

Her face contorted with shock. "You- but- you do realize how much trouble you'll be in? Hell, how much more after you upload that?"

He nodded slowly. "I know. But Shepard and the others need exoneration if they're going to play their part. I've done as much as I can, and I'm basically sunk anyways. Years ago, I had a Harvester virus uploaded to my software. Now it's active again, and the Terran Republic is worried. If I don't get roped up for this and the Viper Nebula, I will soon."

"What? Come on, don't do this to yourself Fredrick. You're as much part of the team as the rest of us are, don't throw yourself away like this," Ashley protested.

"Ashe, it's alright. As much as I may be suspicious, they won't throw me away. They still need me to some extent. The Terrans know what they're doing, but no one else does, so we don't need me at the reigns as much as everyone else needs Shepard, Garrus, Tali, and the likes in their positions."

"Okay, just take care of yourself, alright? Oh, and Kaidan said to tell you he hates you."

"Of course, Ashley. And tell Kaidan back that as much as we've all held back that he's a fucking idiot."

* * *

 **11 hrs/19 min/15 sec**

It was a long walk around the Citadel, but he knew what was to be done. The Harvesters left in the Citadel the groundworks for a network that would easily allow telecommunications across the Galaxy. At will, the Harvesters could manipulate these add-ons through their framework, and he now knew how he could too. To achieve the results he needed, _everyone_ had to see those files from the highest government officials to the lowest janitor. Each of the five arms on the Citadel Station had telecommunications array near the end, allowing for easier distribution of data across the mass relays. At least one would suffice.

Without being bothered by the C-Sec officers waiting outside of the building, he calmly walked inside and had a look around. The center of the room was occupied by a series of tubes and cords while the rest of the room had mechanics walking around and monitoring functionality. He had his eyes set on a single position by the column of cords and making his way forward. "Woah woah! What are you doing in here? This area is for maintaining telecommunications for the _entire_ galaxy!" the Salarian worker warned as he approached.

Ignoring the warning, he simply nudged the Salarian off to the side before responding, "Yeah? Well, bad idea to have it designed like that, isn't it?" Swiftly plugging in the OSD and taping a few keys, he began to upload the files, sending it to everyone within the system: omnitools, desktop monitors, emails, work files. At least in a single location, everyone had access to the files.

The Salarian looked at his omnitool with shock before he noticed everyone else picking up the same notifications. "What the-? You just uploaded to the entire system!"

He only smiled. "I'm going to go take a shit." He promptly walked out of the room as C-Sec came rushing in, ignoring his exit. Before they could catch up to him, he made a quick jump into a taxi and rode back to the Presidium. Suddenly, his omnitool buzzed with an incoming call. "Yes?"

 _I presume_ you _sent the files to everyone?_ Linda asked, barely even surprised.

"My my, you've won the prize. I didn't expect anyone else to catch on that quickly. Where are you right now?" Fredrick responded, hissing with pleasure and pride.

 _I'm on my way to the Citadel Tower for a meeting. I was just finishing up seeing that Thane got to visit his son in C-Sec before we continued. Now everyone's in a mixed state of panic thanks to you,_ Linda explained.

"Perfect. I'm on my way there as well to give the council my two credits. I'll let you know when I get close to the elevator. Müller out." He continued smiling contently despite the nervous glances the taxi driver gave him through the rear-view mirror. Getting out, he stretched his arms and legs before beginning to strut down to the Citadel Tower elevator. He would be arrested for sure, but he could care less now. All he needed was one last visit to the council before walking over to the _Sokol._

He made his approach before his eyes landed on a group of Human protestors by the elevator, demanding action towards the recovery of the lost colonists in the Terminus. The crowd was headed by no more than Charles Saracino at a podium making a call to action. He was content with ignoring the group until the politician called him out. "And what have the Augs done to support their 'inferior' kin during this time of hardship? Have they not ignore our pleas for help when our friends and family afar are disappearing?"

"Have I offended you?" Fredrick interrupted as he walked through the crowd. "For the time being, I have helped to remove the threat that haunted Terminus colonists. Besides, we've had our eyes on something much bigger than helping ensuring that the Alliance finds a high place in society. Besides, what have the likes of you done to ensure that Mankind is smiled upon by society?"

"What sets us different from you, Aug, is that we have yet to surrender our integrity. We remain Human. We haven't meddled with aliens to the point where we no longer remember what species we originated from," Charles ranted.

"Hmm. I see. Well, I think it's sufficient to say you're now more trouble than you're worth." Fredrick drew his side arm and shot Saracino center of the forehead, sending him onto his back. Without looking to see if the man was alright, he holstered the weapon and walked over to the Citadel Tower elevator. "Linda, I'm entering the Citadel Tower. Are you there already?"

 _No, we just arrived. And we're trying to push our way through this crowd. Did someth- Oh for Christ sake. Know what? You really want to get arrested this badly, fine. Go ahead,_ Linda answered.

"I already told you. This is going to happen anyways. Stop trying to prevent it."

 _Oh, great. Now you're starting to sound like them too. I'll see you up there. As soon as the next elevator comes back down._ The call ended, and Fredrick continued to look out the elevator window, back at the station arms, reminiscing about the time the elevator stopped last time, before he and the others exited onto the tower itself to fight the rest of the way up. Finally, the elevator reached the top, releasing him onto the platform of red tape and utter bullshit.

Calmly making his way up to the steps to where the four councilors were waiting for him. After Anderson was elected the Human Councilor, the spaces between podiums were rearranged. "Councilors. It's a pleasure to see you again," Fredrick greeted.

"Likewise, colonel. Is the commander still coming?" David greeted with a friendly nod.

"She's on her way up right now. What were you planning on discussing specifically?" he answered.

Councilor Valern was the first to answer. "We were planning on fully reinstating her in the Specters, now that she's been fully reinstated in Systems Alliance military. However, we were now planning on discussing her actions in the Viper System."

"Right, about that. Did the four of you receive the files I had retrieved on the mission?" Fredrick asked again.

"We had," Councilor Tevos replied. "What we also question is why you had sent such sensitive materials to so many users within the system. We'd have preferred if you kept details of the matter to a select few, colonel."

"It's simple. I ensured the distribution of such data so that the few who knew wouldn't be coincidentally silenced in a matter of short time. Because you all were too enthusiastic to treat the commander as mentally unstable when she died and when she returned. If we are going to survive, everyone must know what the threat is."

Councilor Sparatus, as per usual, questioned, "Are you accusing us of assassinating the commander two years ago when she first disappeared?"

"I'm not accusing you of such. We've already taken care of the group who did so for you. The bigger problem that remains is that you favored political tranquility over the need to handle a growing threat. You were all too eager to bury your heads and allow the public to follow suit because you don't want to deal with the problem. I'm aware that you four each control billions of lives, but I must remind you that those billions will vanish if you aren't there to command and protect them."

"Enough of this chatter! You, just like the famed commander, have become so obsessed with a non-existent threat that URK-!" Sparatus was cut short as a particle beam pierced his collar bone with Fredrick holding the gun.

"Oh Sparatus, for a politician you are such a terrible conversationalist," Fredrick growled as Linda and some of the others raced up the steps in response to the gunshot. "Know this you bumbling fools. I'm no politician, but I'm a doctor and tactician. This is a war which is rapidly approaching our door step, and you have yet to gain any sort of preparation for. Along with implementing what will be needed to survive, you will step up and provide the resources we need to win. I don't have the answer to how or the current know-how as to what weaknesses are, but I don't wish to be the sole individual pushing against the Harvesters. Now that the commander has arrived, I'll leave you alone. And just so we're clear, she and the others had nothing to do with this. I killed those 300,000 Batarians, and I destroyed the relay which they could've used to escape, but I destroyed the relay that could've given the Harvesters easy access to the rest of us. I'm not sorry."

Turning around, he met Linda, Garrus, Tali, and Samara at the foot of the court area. "We heard a gunshot. What happened?" Linda asked.

"Sparatus was being an ass. He'll live. I said what I needed to say and what's done has been done. Unfortunately, this is where we part ways. I'll be heading back to the Terran Republic where I'll no doubt be incarcerated for God-knows how long. I hope you guys can make good use of the time and opportunity I opened up," Fredrick described.

"Are you sure we couldn't keep you hidden? The medbay is still open, and there's plenty of room back on the Flotilla," Tali asked.

Fredrick shrugged and rolled his shoulders. "I'm sorry, all of you. The Hegemony is going to be pissed. And unless whoever they think is responsible is punished, they're going to hurt something and drag us all back. I wish it wasn't this way, but I'm getting it no matter what."

"You still don't deserve such injustice. For everything you've helped us accomplish, you should be rewarded, not thrown into prison," Samara said, backing the others.

"Christ, guys, I'm not facing the firing squad. I'll... just... be away for a bit. That's all." He made his way back to the elevators and began his journey back down. Now for the long walk of shame back to the _Sokol_. He didn't need Crimson's approval of his actions. He did what he believed was necessary to prompt public action. As he began to approach the Presidium, he saw waiting by the elevators a Terran dropship, multiple Terran troops, Ivan, Nolan, Lauren, and Henry waiting in defensive positions around the doors through the windows. He sighed before taking a step forward as the elevator doors slid open.

 _"Fredrick M_ _ü_ _ller, this is your friend Ivan Sokolov along with the rest of your own squad. If you wish to walk out of here alive put you weapons on the ground and kneel with your hands behind your head. I'm not asking twice,_ _"_ Ivan announced over loudspeakers.

He shook his head in dismay before reaching back and pulling out his assault rifle. Placing it on the ground, he shoved it forward with his boot. Taking his pistol, he held onto it by the barrel and placed on the ground before tossing it aside away from his grasp. Drawing out his particle knife, he lamely tossed it into the open before kneeling on the ground and surrendering as ordered. Henry walked forward with his railgun primed and trained on his former CO before calmly placing cuffs on Fredrick's wrists. From a statue overlooking the area, Mary decloaked before all six departed in the dropship. In the pilot's seat was none other than Amory at the wheel. "Hey, Fred. Not exactly what you had in mind for a family reunion, huh?"

* * *

 **Sept 22, 2185**

 **18 hrs/29 min/58 sec**

 **en route to maximum security, Khonsu, Nile System, Ra Nebula**

It was a cold, dark return to his homeworld, and an even colder greeting. He hadn't returned for over a year, and he hadn't expected the next visit to be in chains. For the brief trial he did get, he simply admitted to the crimes and waited in silence for his punishment. Right now, he was on a transport to a criminal rehabilitation center. While Khonsu had managed to keep the crime and poverty exceedingly low, there were still stray variables that slipped through the cracks.

"So, what are you in for?" one of the inmates asked. He wore dark metallic binds and a blue, pulsating collar, with an orange jumpsuit like he did.

"Everything," Fredrick simply answered. "From genocide to the mass destruction of public property. Where should I start?"

The inmate simply stared back. "No need. Just wondering."

"Hmmm." The facility ahead was primarily geared for rehabilitating its convicts to become integrated with society once they left, meaning that prisoners not only left sooner but were much cheaper to keep and maintain. That didn't stop the facilities from walls and security grids for keeping in those with even the most advanced implants the Terran Republic had to offer. Walking out of the transport, there were four guards with poles attached to his collar guiding him out flowed closely by a detachment of riot troops and half a dozen heavy troopers, each armed with MG-13s. For those who were criminally insane or needed prolonged mental care, inmates would be partially starved before being put into cryostasis.

Walking deeper and deeper into the facility, the twenty one total individuals went from elevator to transport before they finally reached the level of especially dangerous individuals at the heart of the building. One of the pods at the very end of the row was already open with mist rising off of it in anticipation. "Here you go sir. Your equipment will be held in out-processing for when we receive orders to pull you out. Until then, you sentence is labelled as indefinite until drastic measures require it."

"Understood private." The judges at the court believed that perhaps the progression of the virus could be slowed down if his systems were brought down to half their functionality with others just not working at all, hence the need for cryostasis. "Why tell me now?"

"Court has stated you will be brought out under the conditions of the Harvesters' arrival. Enough questions, get into the pod."

He had never felt nearly so terrified as he saw the seals click shut from inside the pod. As the effects started to take hold, he painfully gasped for air. For a moment, it felt like he was exposed to pure vacuum without a suit, and that he was slowly dying in the void of space. Or like drowning in a deep, cold ocean. As darkness finally closed in, final questions swam around his head. _"Will they survive? Please, let them succeed. So dark. So cold. Garrus. Tali. Grunt. Zaeed. Jacob. Miranda. Kasumi. Legion. Karin. Jeff. Thane. Samara. Kaidan. Ashley. Wrex. Liara. David. Linda..."_ The world suddenly closed to black.

* * *

 **Sept 20, 2185**

 **13 hrs/04 min/13 sec**

 **Flux, Citadel Station, Widow Nebula**

Over the beats of the club, a TV near the back of the room was playing another ANN report. "Earlier _today, the Terran Republic held a conference confirming Colonel Müller's involvement with the destruction a relay and subsequent loss of the Viper Nebula. With the public light shone on the files that he had retrieved, the Terran Republic also announced that their famed soldier was infected with Reaper software. While the full affects are still unknown, the colonel returns to his home planet to face trial for his actions..."  
_

Linda, Tali, and Garrus especially remembered the last time the three met in that exact bar over two years ago. While the twelve of the, with Jeff along, silently took their drinks. They quietly mourned the man who couldn't join them. It had been a total victory otherwise, even with the civilian casualties rounding up to the tens of thousands. Shepard couldn't help but read the letter Fredrick had written with the files for the dozenth time.

 _To the inhabitants of this Galaxy,_

 _We may not agree with each other, whether it be politics, crime, the existence of others in 'our part of space', but I call for the need to drop these internal conflicts for the greater importance of our sheer existence. The files I present to you in this public message depict that which threatens the fabric of civilization as we know it. It has threatened the fabric of civilization as the Protheans knew it, and has done so for every space-faring civilization before them. What I'm calling for is this to be the last time this has to happen._

 _For those who have remained uninformed, the Harvesters, called Reapers by other and the Protheans before us, are a synthetic-organic race of sentient dreadnoughts built from the remains of each species they harvest. They are kilometers in length and have incredibly dense and tough armor, even to the strongest of weapons any of our respective militaries have to offer. The ship only known as Nazara that used the Specter Saren Arterius in the Battle of the Citadel was only one of millions of these vessels, each poised to maintain a cycle of destruction and extinction. Using the Mass Relays and the Citadel – which they built – they control us and allow us to grow in such ways that we are incredibly vulnerable when they arrive. They cripple our communications, leave us isolated in our systems for them to overrun when their time comes, and learn everything they can about our culture, how we think, and how we work._

 _What has to be their most terrifying ability – that they can easily use any piece of their technology to accomplish – is the ability to indoctrinate and control the victims they are harvesting to help accomplish their mission of repeated extinction. Through the gradual degradation of the brain, they can turn the strongest soldiers into little more than unthinking puppets, willing to turn on our former friends and family on a single signal._

 _Despite how terrifying they may seem, regardless of how they utter statements of doom and gloom, I refuse to let this be another cycle. I refuse to let this be the end of us as living creatures. I call to you not out of personal vendetta, I call to you not out of need for self-preservation, I call to you to protect yourselves and join others in the fight that is to come against a seemingly invincible enemy. This is why this data is so crucial as a stepping stone. It is to understand them, their weaknesses, their order of operations, that is why I send this all to_ you _. Because this is a collaborative effort. And what better way to remember the friendships we had or the friendships we could have had than to unite one last time against the Harvesters?_

 _Please, as not a commanding officer, but as a friend and brother, I ask that you not waste this opportunity._

 _Best regards,_

 _Colonel Fredrick Müller_

 _212th Division_

 _Terran Armed Forces_

She looked back at the empty seat at the round table they were at. After the Collector Base, she arranged a table at Flux a week in advance to celebrate with the away team on a job well done. Now, as much as he may have been an ass, Fredrick was gone, leaving a void where he sat. Now he left it to them to help everyone get on their feet for the Reaper invasion. "Well, now what Linda?" Garrus asked.

She looked at her drink hopelessly. It happened so quickly she barely had any time to think. Then, her face shifted to that which bore determination. "That poor bastard's right. It is down to us." The others looked up at her, away from their mourning for a brief moment. "This team would've long since been disbanded. We're still here and we can still make a difference thanks to him. He may be a Human-Reaper, I don't know. But know this: whatever he may be, he _is_ our salvation, he is the man keeping us alive and active, and it is because this man exists that we will stop them." Standing up, she lifted her glass in a toast. "To Fredrick Müller, for whom we should all be grateful for, for none of us would be here if it weren't for him."

The other stood to follow suit. "To Fredrick!"

Putting his own glass down, Zaeed continued, "And may he eventually find his way out of hell."

She returned to her seat silently when EDI called her omnitool. "Hello?"

 _Shepard, I've received a message from Liara T'soni,_ EDI informed. _She says she needs help with a final lead on the Shadow Broker._

* * *

 _"What is the meaning of this meeting? I thought we were proceeding with the cycle as planned?"_

 _"That's not the point. We've been delayed by an organic of the name-"_

 _"Fredrick Müller. It made contact with Nazara some time before the organics of the current cycle collectively destroyed Nazara. It has sparked some activity amongst the current cycle. They are now preparing for our arrival."_

 _"So what? We destroy Fredrick like all the others. I don't understand the concern."_

 _"The concern is, you fool, that he has access to data none of the others have. He's been receiving bits and pieces from our systems."_

 _"Still, he's an organic. He only managed to so far dismantle the repurposed Protheans. He'll die when we-"_

 _"Just leave. You are incapable of contributing towards this conversation."_

 _"This is exactly what I fear: that we underestimate Fredrick, and it finds a way to dismantle this whole thing. When we do reenter the galaxy, one of the first priorities is to eliminate it. Understood?"_

 _"Do you believe it has connections to the Leviathans?"_

 _"Maybe, or to some other third party. We'll discuss that more when we get there. For now, we'll rally at the next relay before talking farther."_

 _"And their government?"_

 _"I've got someone close in place. The faction otherwise know as Cerberus will provide the strength when we are fully in control of most of their operations. We'll discuss more when we reach the next Relay. Dismissed..._

 _What are you still doing here?"_

 _"It's mostly concerns about the destruction of the Agency. We don't have any species quite like them to replace Protheans."_

 _"Not to worry. The Humans will make a sufficient replacement."_

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _"As the Terrans have displayed, the Human genome is very... flexible."_


End file.
